Unmei Force: Vengeance
by Xovercreator
Summary: The Unmei Force find themselves within the world of Berserk, a world where darkness prevails and the darkest natures of humanity are left unhidden and unbounded. And yet within the endless darkness and suffering that plagues the lands, lies the final key, to the answers of their own quest. But they must be aware: Not every world is unaware of outsiders like them...
1. Prologue

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Prologue: Once Upon A Time, In a Faraway Land...

Story A/N: A warning beforehand for the reader, in this arc, Richard will be overly murder-happy and cruel. If you don't like anti-hero characteristics being flaunted throughout this arc, then please refrain from reading this, but do not complain about what the story may contain, as I have given fair warning here. A additional warning that there will be much more graphic death and implied sexual acts in the story, so the squeamish might want to shy away from those parts in particular.

* * *

_In the GFS Ryujin's bridge..._

Richard walked into the bridge, as he looked around, seeing that his bridge crew were hard at work, maintain the space fortress in its entirety. He then smiled, as he was quite content with the fact that everything was proceeding well for the recent few days.

So far, he remembered that Nitori found a surprise in her database, in the form of the Sistermon Trio. When he went over to check with a surprised Nitori, who didn't expect the Sistermon to be able to bypass the defences she placed on the storage network, where the rest of the Digimon partners were. However, when he met with them, he easily figured out that the Sistermon Trio actually used brute force to barge their way into the storage server, and succeeded with little ease, considering that they were quite powerful in their own right, especially with Sistermon Ciel leading her other two younger sisters.

Turns out that Sistermon Ciel was quite unhappy with the fact that their Digimon partners were slacking off in their long stay within the storage servers, and decided to shape them up, so that their skill and strength will not have worn away from being side-lined for so long. How the Sistermon managed to bring the Digimon training equipment into the servers without causing any more complications, was something that Richard was curious to figure out, but decided against trying to pry into it, considering that they have their own ways of doing things.

All in all, he left a satisfied leader, considering that he would be happy to welcome more allies into his organisation, regardless of their role, and their Digimon will be able to maintain their experience and potential with the Sistermon Trio supervising them, maybe even grow yet stronger as a result.

'_I wonder what the future will have in wait for us... All these X-Stones... all of the things we went through..._' Richard thought, looking at the outer space that was illuminated by the various stars and planets in their surroundings. '_I can only imagine the adversities we will face. However, we're no strangers to facing trouble in our lives, and we'll strive to see our quest through, until our homeland can be safe once more..._'

Suddenly, Richard's thoughts were cut short, as the transmitter on the captain's chair was letting out a shrill ring, as well as flashing. Richard heard the shrill ringing, as he walked over to the large chair, and sat himself down, before activating the transmitter with a few key presses, as a large screen, showing the main lab within the research block of the fortress, as Nitori was the one who was calling Richard at the moment.

"Nitori. Is there anything you like to tell me?" Richard asked with a stoic expression and tone.

"Yes. We managed to finally locate the final X-Stone signature." Nitori answered with a nod. "I've patched the coordinates to your personal database, so that you can use them to get to the world immediately."

"That's good." Richard responded back, before he slowly stood up. "Have you got any footage of the world that the X-Stone is currently in? I need to get a good idea of where we're going, if we're going to decide who's on the mission."

"Don't worry, we have created a snippet of footage that has been created real-time." Nitori answered back, before the very footage replaced the screen itself.

On it was a large army of soldiers, who seemed to be at medieval-era technology, with siege towers, catapults and knights within the army. Seeing this, Richard pondered about the fact that whether Corrin and her friends would be most experienced in this kind of setting, as well as Link. To him, he found that considering their original worlds, they would fit in suitably well with the residents of this world.

But his thoughts immediately melted away, when he saw the banners and flags waved above the army, as it caused him to choke on his breath, when he found the symbol of the army to be quite familiar, even if it is small on the screen. He immediately zoomed in on several of the flags, as he was met by a series of red flags, one with black entwined snakes, and one with a red and green deer, and another with a green boar behind a yellow background.

"Those are... Those are...!" Richard exclaimed, as his hands trembled at the sight of the flags, before he then closed the footage, returning the screen back to Nitori. "Nitori, what are the destination of the army? Can you reliably predict it?"

"Of course, I can tell you that they're heading towards a stronghold located in the visible range, within a dry plain. ETA? A day or so." Nitori stated.

"Stronghold... Flags... Army... Red.." Richard muttered under his breath, before he then realised what the world was, and immediately dreaded the fact. "Oh... fuck..."

"Richard? Something wrong?" Nitori asked with concern, seeing Richard's spooked expression, and his swearing.

"Nitori, I think you have done enough." Richard answered back, before he then moved his hand to close the transmission.

"Richard, what's wrong-" Nitori was about to ask, before Richard cut the call off. He then immediately stood out of the captain's chair, as his expression was sour.

"Of all the worlds... Of all the worlds that I was expecting one of those X-Stones to be... And it has to be this one..." Richard stated with a growl, as he immediately entered the elevator "Oh, this is going to be hell on the minds and bodies of those who are joining me..."

* * *

_A few moments later, in the main meeting room..._

All current members of the Unmei Force, including Erika, who was present on a holographic projector that was carried in by Sanae. As the members took their seats, Richard immediately sat down as well, with a grim expression.

"I'm sorry for the fact that this meeting is so sudden..." Richard spoke to everyone. "But we have a urgent issue at hand, and one that warrants notice for all of you immediately."

"You look so disturbed, Richard..." Ieyasu remarked. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Everyone, we have our next target, the world where the last X-Stone is located." Richard answered back, before he then clasped his hands together. "Unfortunately, that's the issue at hand: The world itself."

"The world itself..." Sanae muttered, before turning to Richard. "Do you mean that the world has several things that we need to watch out for, in regards of ourselves?"

"You could say that. Although it's not specific to several individuals, Sanae. I hoped it was, because the problem would be easily rectified." Richard sighed deeply, shaking his head. "No, this is a general problem, a problem that goes out to everyone who would be assigned to this world."

"Then what is this world then?" Gus asked. "Surely you must know it, if you know what's wrong about it."

"Indeed I do." Richard answered back. "The next X-Stone... is in the world of Berserk. Mid-Golden Age Arc specifically."

Sanae's jaw immediately dropped, as her face paled greatly hearing Richard's statement, while the others, who didn't know the meaning behind Richard's words were left stumped.

"So, what's the problem then?" Marisa asked, not knowing what has caused Richard and Sanae to have these kinds of reactions.

"The problem is, Marisa..." Richard stated, before he then slammed both of his hands. "Is that this world is very much a place that none of you would like to stay in for anything longer than a day."

"How so?" Reimu asked. "Is it because of the fact that the world is torn by darkness? We've dealt with that before, Richard. There is nothing to worry about. We can take care of the recent members ourselves if needed."

"...I suppose if I don't explain what Berserk entails... You'd have no clue about what you're about to walk into..." Richard stated, before he turned to Sanae. "Sanae, if you could-"

"Nuh-uh, no way." Sanae strongly refused, shaking her head with a disgusted expression. "There is no way I'm going to dignify that damn... damn overly grim-dark fandom with a proper explanation! It's a hell-hole in canon, and I just can't bring myself to talk about it right before these kinds of people, especially not Elma of all people!"

"Why specifically me, Sanae?" Elma stated. "Is there something that you might think that would be considered a great insult from me?"

"...I see. Then it falls to me, as much it irks me..." Richard groaned. "Alright, let's start with what I can tell you without any of you paling like ghosts, or literally trying to stop yourself from retching. The world of Berserk, pre-Eclipse, is a fairly decent world. We have our typical war between equally corrupted and twisted human kingdoms, and the fact that the war is not a pretty thing. It's more or less without medieval ages, except the fancy monsters and magic is rarely seen at all."

"And...? What is this Eclipse?" Corrin asked Richard.

"The Eclipse... I rather not describe it. When the time comes, you'll see that it is the most despairing and dreadful event that heralded the world turning to an utterly cruel hell for everyone present on the world." Richard continued. "The real problems starts after the Eclipse itself. I'll simplify the Eclipse as the event where demons and monsters finally decide to show themselves and ravage the world. And considering that the kingdoms lack magic... The conclusion of how grossly over-matched, the humans are against the demons. But that's not the worst part of it all..."

Everyone silently waited for Richard to continue, although they all started to feel a sense of dread well up in their hearts, as if they instinctively tried to stop themselves from prying further. Yet, Velouria continued to ask Richard, "What is the worst of it all then?" She asked.

"The worst part of it all... is that this world is a hell-hole, from beginning to end, and the Eclipse was the tipping point." Richard answered back. "This world, is the exact opposite of a fairy-tale. The cruel reality is everywhere to be seen, and life is a living hell for everyone in there. The demons do unspeakable things, from raping their victims to death, to making the last living moments of their victims as agonising as they can make it, or even properly inducing despair into people to feed on said emotion. Combined with the fact that the people there have no power to resist the darkness... This world is considered to be one of the darkest worlds to be in, solely because of the fact that the status quo is for people to suffer."

Richard let his words hangs, as everyone was speechless at the horrifying truth regarding the world they were going to, as Gus was left sputtering, trying to comprehend how a world could possibly be so cruel to have such things being a common occurrence, while Reimu's expression darkened. Marisa was silent, as she slumped into her chair, Ieyasu's frown grew deeper, Corrin's expression of one of disbelief, Gunter was trying his best to comfort Corrin, Velouria was disgusted, and Virion grit his teeth in anger. Elma was completely horrified, as her hands were on her mouth, with wide eyes, and Antonio was literally shocked silent. The only ones who remained calm through the entire description was Meiling, Link, Fox and Reisen.

"Shit... That's one messed up place." Antonio muttered with a revolted tone.

"Now that I said my piece, I'll tell you this. The team I was originally was going to send, before I realised what the place was, was going to be Corrin, Gunter, Velouria, Virion, Link, Reimu, Meiling, Gus, myself and Antonio." Richard informed the rest of the members. "But since this is Berserk... I'm giving any of guys the chance to opt out. Elma, if you are willing, Elma, you may join us. Your magic might be able to ensure the safety of the doomed residents of the world. If neither of you wish to come with me, I am in complete understanding, and I will respect your choice. No-one would willingly dare to set foot in such a cruel world, where death and suffering are the norm."

He then stood up, and slammed his fists on the table strongly, with a determined expression on his face. "But make no mistake. That X-Stone is our only hope of achieving our goals." Richard declared with a much stronger tone. "Even if I have to wade into that living hell myself, with none of you to support me, even if I have to sink to the same level as those demons... I will go, and I will remain until the despair-filled tale of this land has run its course, and the final piece of the puzzle is done. I've been through a greater hell than this, and I preserved. This will not stop me."

After a moment of silence, Gus then stood up, as he glared right at Richard. "If you're going, then I'm coming as well." Gus stated. "I've been by your side this entire time, and I've been there in times where you needed someone by your side. Even if it means having to become a evil, I will only become a necessary one, so that the greater evil will be thwarted, and I will stand by your side, regardless."

Reimu then stood up as well. "Don't try to act like that you're better than us, Richard." Reimu growled back. "You're going to need as much help as you need in that damned place. After all, a shrine maiden's duty is to purify and ward off demons. Except in my case, I am far more extreme for the like of unrepentant scums like them. I'm going, and don't think that you'll stop me."

"I concur. It would be cowardly of us, if we let you suffer through this alone." Meiling responded back as well, standing up, along with Link, who merely stared back with a tempered look in his eyes. "We will stay by your side, and we will not regret that choice, no matter what."

"I've strove to fight alongside you, to make sure that more and more lives will be able to be liberated from suffering and be able to live peaceful lives, Richard." Corrin stated. "I will not shirk from the duties that have been entrusted to all of us. As the daughter of a kingdom, it is my role to help and save lives, so that no more will have to die for a unjust cause."

Gunter, Velouria and Virion then rose up with Corrin. "Well, you know, if I rob the bandits and thieves in that world..." Velouria remarked. "It'll be counted as a penance fee for their incidents, right? I'd love to see what kind of shiny stuff this place would have. It's been a while since I used those claws to actually fight a battle."

"And I cannot possibly let any of my friends head off without myself." Virion strongly agreed. "That includes you, Richard, and every single one of you, who have took me in and given me a cause to fight for, and friends that will remain with me for a long time indeed. If the world is unjust, then we'll fight until the world is right once more."

"Well, I guess that it's either watching all of this happen, or playing a part in intervening in this..." Antonio sighed, before he then rose up. "Well, a son of Sonic the Hedgehog never backs down, especially not the face of people being tormented like this. All I can say is that I might see some grisly stuff, but I won't regret helping out, as long as there's progress."

Richard then turned to Elma, who suddenly snapped out of her fear, before she then stood up to join the others.

"I... I won't back down." Elma stated. "Everyone in that world deserved to be helped, and to be free of all the terrible things occurring there. Even if it takes a long time... I will be willing to do everything to achieve it, and I won't ever look away. Not again, after what had happened with Trillion."

"... But this is a different case, Elma." Richard warned Elma with a stern tone. "You will see for yourself the darkest facets of humanity, and the cruelest realities that the world will force upon you. You could possibly be scarred mentally, permanently even, by what you may see. Even so, do you dare to follow me into this world...?"

Elma strongly nodded, as Richard then turned to the others. "Do you share the same drive as Elma here?" He asked clearly to everyone standing.

They didn't respond back, although the silence was enough for Richard, as he knew that they were mostly definitely coming with him, even if they knew what they were getting themselves in.

'_I am blessed to have friends that have such faith in me._' Richard thought with a warm smile, before he then spoke. "Very well, we leave by tomorrow then. Antonio, if you're coming with me, you're going to have to implant yourself with the biological masking chip, because you don't want to be mistaken as a demon as you are now. And on the same coin... Elma, do you have magic that can hide your horns, and also mask your demonic energy to a degree that requires thorough detection to notice?"

"Yes." Elma nodded. "Dear Brother Astaroth taught me it before... I really miss him."

"I know... Just know that his legacy is you, Elma..." Richard responded back with a soft look in his eyes. "As long you're fighting for us, he's proud that his sister is surrounded by friends, and fighting for the sake of the people."

Elma smiled warmly at that, before Richard then clapped his hands together. "Alright, everyone dismissed." He stated.

Everyone soon filed out of the room, as Richard grimaced slightly, as he mentally prepared himself for the events to come.

* * *

_A day later, in a deserted plain... _

Right in the plains, a young man lying on the dry ground, who had short spiked black hair under his steel helmet, with the T-shaped visor raised, woke up immediately to the sounds of distant rumbling, as his brown eyes opened with a single snap. He was clad in a steel breast-plate with leather straps between the parts of the chest armour, and a leather sash around his waist, and faded pants. Under his chest-plate was a worn black tunic, and he had a metal gauntlet on his left hand, and a bandaged wrist-guard on his right. Over his neck was a dirty beige scarf that wrapped around his neck. His weapon, a large great-sword laid beside him.

"...a dream? I just hope it's not some ill omen before the battle." The man spoke to himself, before he immediately got up, and picked up his weapon.

As he looked behind him, as the troops that he was working with, were already preparing to march, as the various banners were already raised, and the war drummers and horn-blowers were already positioned. He immediately took that as a sign to prepare for battle, lowering his visor, and raising his blade at the ready.

However, he then suddenly felt someone tapping on his shoulder. He immediately spun over, and came face to face with Richard, who was wearing a steel breast-plate, with a black cape behind his back, and black gauntlets, with both of his blades sheathed behind his back. The man immediately growled at the other black-haired person, especially at the calm expression on his face.

"What do you want?" The man grumbled to Richard. "Do you have something to say?"

"Not much." Richard responded back with a gentle nod, before he then gestured at the large blade in the man's hands. "That great-sword... By the looks of it, you seem to have trained with that blade for a fairly long time, haven't you? Honestly, I never seen anyone as young, but also as skilful as you."

The man merely scoffed at the flattery Richard was giving. "What of it?" Guts asked. "Are you some sort of noble, who is planning to recruit me into your little organisation?"

"Not quite." Richard chuckled lightly. "The spirit in your eyes seems to prove that you deserve more than to be a subordinate. I rather respect you as a fellow mercenary. I am genuinely respectful of your own individuality and strength. I simply hope that we'll meet each other again when the time is right. May I at least query of your name?"

"...Guts." Guts answered back with a pause.

"Guts... A intriguing name." Richard hummed, placing a hand on his chin. "I may as well respond with mine. I am , and I have come with my small band of friends to find some coin to support us. The men who offered us the positions in this battle seem to pay us well."

Guts merely turned away from Richard. "I've heard enough. Leave me alone." Guts responded back to Richard.

"As you wish. May you find success on the battlefield." Richard answered back, before he walked away.

As Richard left, Guts pondered who 'Raze' really was, although he didn't think much of it, as he had seen his fair share of mercenaries before. Young or old, rich or poor, they all have drives that brought them into the work of mercenaries. 'Raze', as he believed, was someone who didn't seem to be worried about the dangers of the work, and was working for money. Oddly, that didn't sit right with Guts, who knew that these two things are rarely seen in the same person.

Meanwhile, Richard moved back to his group, with Corrin, Gunter and Virion clad in their own gear from their respective homelands, Velouria in leather armour to accommodate with her agility and speed, Link dressed in a silver tunic with a steel chest-plate, shoulder-guards and chest-plates. Reimu in her own shrine-maiden robes, and Meiling dressed in oriental armour with steel gauntlets in her hands. Gus was dressed in full knight armour, which was made of a mix between strong alloys, giving the armour a slight white-greyish hue. Antonio was dressed in golden armour, as he found it suiting, and he had a large blade with a golden hilt with a crown embedded in the middle of its cross. Elma was dressed in white hooded mage robes, as Intry, her weapon was under a illusion to made it look like a simple wooden staff with a large floating purple crystal on the tip of it.

"So, how's everyone so far?" Richard asked, turning to Antonio. "Anthony, how are you feeling right now?"

"Fairly fine." Antonio asked, as he flexed the fingers on his hand, being now in human form. "I remember that the first time that you did this back then, it was with a prototype copy of the biological implant... Well, with the real thing in me, I don't have to worry about anything messing up my looks right now. Although... I preferred to be what I usually am..."

"Hm." Richard responded back, before turning to the others. "Are you all prepared?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, before the first horns sounded off, indicating the start of the battle.

"Alright, off to battle, crew!" Richard cried, before he then immediately turned towards the gate leading out of the main camp where the mercenaries have been gathered at. They then moved out of the main camp, and right into the battlefield, as Richard could see that Guts was rushing into battle ahead of them.

"Chaarge! Whoever brings me the Generals head, will get all the rewards he wants!" One of the army officers cried. "Use the siege weapons to get over the castle walls! Get rid of those in your way!"

Richard's group immediately split off, as they spread out to cover the entire front of the castle, as they struck through the soldiers in their way. Richard immediately headed towards the gate, as he saw a group of soldiers in his path, who immediately noticed him. However, Richard charged right into them, before they could do the same to him, as he immediately cut down the soldiers where they stood, before he reached the leader of the small squad. The squad leader immediately used his spear to try and attack Richard, only for his thrusts and swings to be parried with little effort by Richard. After a few strikes, Richard immediately side-stepped a downwards swing and cut the spear in two, leaving the leader shocked.

"Tch. Weak." Richard clicked his tongue with a unamused expression, before he then walked towards the leader, and immediately grabbed him and walked over to the gates, and threw him with enough force to crush the officer right on the gates, as he slid down the metal doors, coughing up blood from his mashed organs, and passing away in agony.

Richard then looked around, checking on his own allies, as Gunter gutted one of the soldiers by the lung with his refined lance, before the grizzled knight immediately flung the corpse off with a simple flick of his wrist. Corrin used her blade to strike down the enemy with ruthless efficiency, as her blade split men into pieces with each swing. However, none of them surprised Richard as much as when he saw a maniacally grinning Velouria sprinting around the fields, using her claws to turn all those in her path into bloody chunks of flesh.

'_Damn... Looks like Velouria's really giving it her all on this._' Richard thought. '_Just wait until the bandits come..._'

He then turned to the metal gates, sheathing his blades, as he cracked his knuckles. "Alright, time to bust that gate down, with some real firepower." Richard smirked. "Whoever is on the other side, is going to be in for a surprise."

He immediately charged up his magical power, as his hands were beginning to glow with fierce orange energy, that was growing brighter with each passing moment. When he was satisfied that he has enough power to burst the gate off, he immediately then placed both hands forward, and let his spell fly.

On another point of the battlefield, Gus heard a loud explosion, as he was fighting back to back with Antonio, against a horde of soldiers coming their way, as Gus managed to cut down the officer leading them, and Antonio was sweeping the other soldiers with wide cleaves. Both of them turned to the source, as they saw that the front gates of the castle was slightly damaged, and the metal gates was knocked off their hinges, allowing entry into the castle itself.

"Must be Richard..." Gus remarked, before he then made his way towards the open path into the castle.

"Hey, wait for me, Gus!" Antonio shouted, as he quickly flicked the blood that stained his blade off, before joining Gus.

On their way, they passed by a pair of mercenaries, who saw the carnage as well.

"Good lord... Who just blew the gates of this castle off...?" The first mercenary stated.

"Don't know, and I rather not try to figure it out." The second mercenary answered back. "Whoever it was, it must have been one powerful bastard. Glad they're on our sides, not theirs."

"Still, have you seen the women he was working with? Just look at the damn red-haired amazon that's bashing everyone to pulp with her fists and legs!" The first mercenary remarked. "If only I could get her, I would be the most happiest husband in this world for sure, because this woman is sexy, and damn strong!"

"Woah there, don't try picking people out of your league." The second mercenary reprimanded the first, with a smack to the helmet. "You think she's the kind to go with you? She'll break your legs, then your family jewels if you even try to go after her. Nah man, woman like her are better unmarried than married, because at least no-one stupid would try to seduce her."

"Fair enough... And I gotta say, that girl in the white robes really is cute. I'd argue that a girl like her has no place on a men's battlefield, but when she started healing everyone's wounds like nothing, I rather just accept that she's some sort of battle angel, blessing our side for victory." The first mercenary added.

"Yeah, dude... I just can't find it in me to do anything to her. She's just simply so pure that it makes me feel so dirty to even dare be in her help..." The second mercenary said as well.

Gus and Antonio looked at each other. "Don't look at me, I don't know how the hell Elma managed to make these mercenaries like her so much!" Antonio exclaimed with a flustered tone. "But jeez, this is real messed up... I thought these bastards would have said anything else, because hearing that they're idolising her... That sounds so wrong."

"There's worse thing, Anthony. There's worse things." Gus answered back.

Soon, they passed through the gates, as they caught sight of Richard beheading one of the officers, as he was standing on the dislodged metal gates, which had pools of blood underneath them, presumably from the gate crushing unfortunate soldiers under it. When he noticed his friend, Richard immediately dropped the head and walked over to them.

"Well, how goes clearing the field outside the castle, friends?" Richard asked.

"Ri- Raze, did you just...?" Gus asked with a horrified expression.

"What? I gave them a chance to surrender, or get out of my way, so that I could take the head of their general." Richard responded back with a shrug. "They chose neither, so I slaughtered them. It's not my fault that there's nothing else to the mission than killing the general of this castle. If these bastards want to get in our way, I'll be happy to eradicate them."

Richard then turned away from the two of them. "Either way, I'm going deeper into the castle. You two help the western front, by finding a way to break open the gates. I'm going to see if I can find the general and end this battle quickly, and if you see the others, help them out." He stated, before he then rushed down one of the streets, disappearing from both of their sights. "

Gus and Antonio immediately turned west, as they saw that there were rocks being launched over the castle, right over the gates. "Let me guess... Catapult?" Antonio remarked.

"Your guess is good as mine, Anthony." Gus answered back, before both of them followed through the direction to the catapult.

They reached a small stair-way to a large tower, where the catapult was mounted, and was firing at the western front of the allied army. Before they could proceed, they were stopped by a commander, wielding a large axe.

"You would dare to try and take the catapult?" The commander growled. "You will never have it, until it's over our dead bodies!"

"Careful how you word that..." Antonio retorted back, as he readied his blade, and lowered into a charging stance. "Because you're going to regret saying that."

"And what can two mere mercenaries do against my garrison, you brats-" The commander mocked, before Antonio immediately darted towards the garrison with speeds that the soldiers could barely see and follow, as Antonio's slash came so quickly that it trapped the entire squad in a cyclone of slashes, as the soldiers were cut down at rapid succession, frightening the commander. "Wha- What is this...!?"

Suddenly, he felt the blade carve right through his back and slice through his spine, as he immediately dropped dead from where he stood. At that moment, Antonio immediately halted himself, as his blade was surprisingly clean from the attack.

"Alright then, that's taken care of." Antonio responded back. "How are we going to deal with this, Gus?"

"I have my ways, and hopefully this should be enough." Gus responded back, as he raised a hand, as it glowed with fire magic. After a few moments, the wooden catapult was hit by a blast of fire that ignited it, as the screams of its crew rang out from afar, before they ceased. "There, that should take care of it."

Suddenly, they heard the western gate of the castle break open, as they reached over, and found that the invading army forces were already pouring in through the breached gates.

"All units, rush the castle! Rush the wards!" The leader of the army front cried out to his men.

Meanwhile, with Richard, he cut through the last of the enemies, as he slew the gatekeeper before him, while the rest of the mercenary forces followed him.

"Hehe, now that's a good job done!" One of the mercenaries chuckled, before he immediately moved to open the gates before him. "I'm going on ahead...!"

He then kicked the gates open, as the invading army rushed in. As expected, they came face to face with the enemy general and his guards, with the general being a a man clad in thick and heavy metal armour, which seemed quite round, and his helmet was almost spherical. In his hands was a large great-axe.

"I'll take your head!" The mercenary cried, as he charged the enemy general with his weapon raised. However, the general immediately shifted his axe to the side, before he then roared, and swung the axe's blade right into the neck of the charging mercenary, stopping him mid-charge. The dying mercenary choked in agony, as blood spurted from the large wound on his neck, before he was flung off the axe, thrown right in front of the gathered soldiers.

"You bastard! Don't think you'll win against all of us together!" Another mercenary cried, as many soldiers charged at the enemy general at once.

However, all they accomplished was their own deaths, as the general swung his axe with such might, that the bodies of those struck were sent flying, spilling blood all over the castle ward, as the few blows that they could land did nothing against his armour, and their shield were rend apart with a single strike from the axe. As soon as all of them were killed off, the general turned back to the group of soldiers, who were quivering in fear, as he laughed cruelly.

"It's Bazuso!" One of the mercenaries near Richard cried, with a shaking finger raised up. "The one who killed thirty men at once!"

"I heard he fought a bear, and he won!" Another of the mercenaries cried.

"What's wrong!?" Bazuso mocked, his voice muffled through the helmet, as he did a beckoning hand-sign with his right hand. "If you want your head smashed in, step right up!"

However, no-one dared to come out to face Bazuso, as they slowly backed away. Yet, Richard remained where he was, and smirked, before stepping towards Bazuso. After he was in fair distance from Bazuso, he then turned his head to the allied front commander.

"Say, I recall that if I personally slay Bazuso, the general over here, I have all the rights to the rewards paid after, right?" Richard asked, gesturing at Bazuso. "After all, I'm in it for the money. If you give me a fair offer, then I'll gladly fight the general for you."

"O-Of course." The commander answered back. "If you really manage to kill him, I'll give you 10... no, 7 gold coins!"

"Pft, cheap." Richard scoffed. "Tell you what, I'll forgo the money, if you make absolutely sure that my feat is properly recorded, and will be publicly recognised as fit of the achievement. Sounds like a better deal, commander?"

"...Very well." The commander answered back. "If you manage to slay Bazuso, then I will make sure it is recognised."

"Then deal it is then." Richard smirked, before he turned around. "Right then, Bazuso. They say you slain bears before. I wonder if you'll be able to give me a proper fight, unlike the rest of your incompetent commanders."

"You'll regret this, kid. Getting your head smashed for mere recognition." Bazuso mocked. "For a young and smooth-skinned brat like you to be on the battlefield.. the enemy side truly must be desperate then."

Richard merely drew his blades. "Well then, why don't you see for yourself then?" He responded back, before he charged at Bazuso.

Bazuso immediately prepared to swing his axe down onto Richard's head, as he then brought it down. However, Richard predicted the attack from Bazuso's posture, and immediately side-stepped, before then slashing at Bazuso's chest with his blades, as his slashes managed to strike precisely on the armour, causing the metal to bend under the force of the blades, as Bazuso was knocked back. The larger knight immediately swung again to hit Richard, this time using a horizontal strike. However, that too was evaded, as Richard ducked under, and kicked Bazuso in the chest hard enough to cause him to stagger back.

"H-hey, that kid... He's pushing Bazuso back... And he's not even breaking a sweat...!" One of the watching mercenaries exclaimed.

"Damn it, don't get too cocky, kid! Your head is mine!" Bazuso growled, before he then stomped right at Richard, charging forward with his axe in a defensive stance.

As Richard slowly shifted his own posture to prepare for the blow, Bazuso immediately jumped, before he then swung his axe over his head, and right down on Richard, hoping that his most powerful strike would be able to break his guard and finish him off. Yet, Richard was enduring, as he crossed his blades in a guarding stance, as the axe's blade pushed against them. Richard then twisted himself around, spinning away from the falling axe, and then slamming both of his blades right into Bazuso's side, as it punched right through his armour, evident from the blood shooting out of the cut made by the blades.

Bazuso immediately froze up, as he tried to lift his axe up and strike at Richard, only for the dual-bladed warrior to swing his blades down on Bazuso's hands, as the force of the strike severed them cleanly on the wrists, causing Bazuso to scream in pain, as he tried to stop the blood spurting out of the stumps.

As Bazuso wailed and cried, Richard then walked right in front of Bazuso, and placed one of his blades on his back, and wielded the other blade with both of his hands, like a katana.

"You know, turns out that the infamous Bazuso is not so might after all." Richard stated with a sneer, before it then faded into disappointment. "The only reason you were able to survive fighting the 30 men in your little tale was because of your resilience and the mighty strength you have. It pains me how slow your own blows are, that this fight ended so quickly. Since you lose..."

Richard then prepared his blade, as Bazuso began to look at Richard with fearful eyes, as he tried to back-away, as his fear only grew when he saw the cruel grin on Richard's face. "Your. Head. Is. MINE."

He then struck right through Bazuso's neck with a single swipe, as the head dropped and rolled towards Richard's feet, as he picked it up. He then glanced at the guard of the late Bazuso, who were in utter disbelief at how their leader was killed so quickly and flawlessly by him. The mercenaries on Richard's side, immediately took the opportunity to charge the guard and annihilate them.

Richard then turned away from the fight, as he walked out of the ward. As he did though, he immediately looked up to the balcony above the castle, as he saw a few figures on it. As he looked at them, he gave them a smile, before then turning and leaving.

He then came face-to-face with Guts, who was covered in blood all over, with his large blade in the same state. For some reason, he was glaring at Richard.

"Ah, Guts." Richard greeted Guts with a calm tone. "We meet again."

"How did you manage to take care of the enemy general before I did?" Guts asked Richard in a almost demanding tone.

"Found the quickest way to the enemy general, I guess." Richard answered back. "Turns out the enemy general, although fairly formidable, was no match for me. I take it that you've been contributing a lot to the battlefield, haven't you?"

Suddenly, Guts grabbed Richard by the collar. "Listen here." Gus snarled at Richard. "I don't know who are you, or what your purpose is, but don't try to act like you're going to be my friend, or anything! I needed the money from the contract, and you took my chance to get myself extra money on all of this."

"Well, I can't exactly blame you for detesting the fact that I slain the enemy general." Richard answered back. "However, Guts, I would like to ask you something. Other than money, is there really no other purpose that you fight on the battlefield? Is it because it's your nature to fight with blade and heart, or are you looking for a purpose yourself?"

Guts was silent, as Richard then walked past Guts. "Tell you what, if you stay after you get paid, I'll share a part of whatever I've gotten. You're a fairly decent man, Guts, with that mindset of yours." Richard offered. "So it would be a shame if you didn't get your rightful pay from all of this bloodshed. Consider it goodwill from one mercenary to another."

Richard then walked past Guts, not noticing the latter's hands clench into tight fists.

* * *

_At the payment post..._

Richard then waited for the mercenary in front of him to receive their payment, before he moved up and faced the army commander, who immediately dropped a large amount of silver coins in front of Richard on the table he was sitting on.

"Here's your reward for you contribution in this battle. I don't know why you weren't contracted, but you managed to turn the tide of this battle to our favour." The commander told Richard.

"Yeah, that's fair." Richard answered back, placing the coins in his own bag of money. "Oh right, remember the promise that I made?"

"Yes yes, we'll keep it." The commander answered back, before Richard then turned to leave. "Next!"

Richard then walked away, as he looked at Guts, who was far back on the line, before he then walked to his group.

"So... How is everyone currently? Nothing bad happening with any of you?" Richard asked them.

"Well, we've gotten our payments without much fuss, not even for Reimu." Gus stated, looking at Reimu, who seemed fairly bitter about being paid so little, in comparison to Richard. Richard sighed, as he transferred some of his own coins into Reimu's bag, as a attempt to placate her foul mood about the matter.

"Right then... I may have sort of done a bit of a oopsie." Richard remarked back, rubbing the back of his head.

"And what is that mistake?" Link asked back.

"Well, you know the enemy general, Bazuso, right?" Richard asked them back. "He's the owner of the head that I was carrying. I decided to have some fun and take the glory myself, but I forgot that Guts only got recognised by the Band of the Hawk because he killed Bazuso himself. So I may have caused a Butterfly Effect, so to say."

"...You're utterly reckless." Meiling berated Richard sharply.

"I know, I know!" Richard shouted back, before he clutched his face with his hand and sighed deeply. "Hopefully, reality will bend itself around, so that Guts has some other remarkable feat, so that means that in addition for Guts, their leader wants a piece of me as well. At least this way, everything goes as planned, and we don't make ourselves look like fools doing so."

"I hope so as well... I dread to think what kind of things could go wrong in this place, if you and Sanae are repelled by the presence of this world..." Corrin muttered back.

Soon enough, Richard saw Guts finish receiving his payment for the battle, before he then walked through the crowd of mercenaries. Richard immediately moved over to him, as the two of them met in the middle of the crowd.

Wordlessly, Guts looked at Richard, before Richard then pulled out a small pouch of coins he prepared beforehand, and held it in front of Guts. And still, without any banter between them, Guts took the money, as Richard nodded, before the two of them turned away from each other, as Richard returned to the group.

"Now what do we do, Raze?" Gus asked.

"We wait." Richard answered back. "And then we leave this place, hopefully meeting the Band of the Hawk, and if lucky, Guts as well."

The group then looked for a place to bide their time, waiting for the right time for the events of this world to proceed.


	2. Chapter 1

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 1: Meeting the Band of the Hawk

* * *

_In a grassy valley..._

Richard and his group was travelling through the valley, as they seemed to be fairly relaxed during their journey through the area.

"You know... This place actually looks quite nice." Gus remarked. "I don't see anything overly hellish about this world yet."

"Oh, you'll see, Gus. You'll see eventually." Richard remarked back, before he looked around. "Odd... It's been a few hours, and we haven't encountered 'them' yet."

"Them? You mean the Band of the Hawk you mentioned earlier?" Corrin asked Richard.

"Yeah. I've made sure that we're following after Guts. I don't think that they would anywhere else, considering that they're waiting for either me, or Guts." Richard answered back. "It's odd, even despite the differences I made in this place. I'm sure that the events would go as they should, because a certain group really hate it when the-"

Velouria's ears began to perk up, as she heard the unmistakable sounds of horses galloping towards them, as she immediately tensed up and drew up her claws. "We got enemies incoming." She growled to the others.

Everyone immediately drew their weapons without further delay, as Richard turned to the direction that Velouria heard the sounds from, as he saw a large group of horse-riders rushing at them, in various different helmets and steel knight armour. Seeing the group of enemies approaching, he smirked.

"Oh good, looks like I was right on the money after all." Richard remarked back.

"Go get them!" The leader cried, as the horse-riding mercenaries rushed at the group, with their weapons at the ready. "Leave the black-haired one for me to deal with!"

The group immediately split away, to avoid the charging attack, before they knocked the riders off their horses, through either killing the horses, or knocking them off with sufficient force to unbalance them. When they were on the ground, they were overwhelmed by the members of the group.

Richard immediately noticed the leader charging towards him, as he used one of his blades to parry the blade swinging down at him, before using the other to do a upwards slice that struck the horse's underbelly, causing it to neigh in agony, rearing up, and causing its rider to fall off its back, before it then fell on its side, bleeding to death.

Before Richard could rush towards him and skewer him with a downwards strike, the leader immediately jumped back onto his feet, and readied his stance. "Bazuso was mine! I was going to kill him and get famous, one of these days, and you snatched it away from me!" He growled at Richard.

"First come, first serve, mercenary." Richard stated with a mocking grin, twirling his blade around. "I remember seeing you back in that castle. Looks like your little band has some interest in either my talents, or my head more specifically. Too bad that since you're going for the latter, I'm afraid that you're going to die if you really want this fight."

"You bastard!" The leader cried, as he immediately rushed at Richard, swinging his blade furiously, as Richard used his blades to parry each strike softly, with little effort.

Meanwhile, Gus managed to carve his way through the band of mercenaries ahead of him, as he found Guts fighting against a slender figure wielding a short-sword, and wearing a red scarf around their neck, the two of them were trading blows with each other. Guts slowly overwhelmed his opponent, before knocking their helmet, revealing that the person was a woman with short brown hair and brown eyes.

"A woman? A woman in a mercenary band!?" Guts exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Bastard!" The woman screamed, as she rushed at Guts, striking at him with rapid strikes, although Guts were blocking most of them with the breadth of his sword. "So strong... His blows are too powerful!"

"H-hey! Even Casca is being driven back!" One of the enemy soldiers remarked.

Eventually, Casca was unbalanced by a single mighty strike from Guts, sending her staggering back, as Guts rushed forward to finish her with a over-head blow. However, Gut's attack was immediately blocked mid-strike by a slender blade that seemed to look like a sharp-edged rapier, its owner being a man wearing a steel helmet that was shaped like a falcon's beak.

"Griffith!" Casca cried, as she backed away from the both of them. "Be careful, this guy is strong!"

Griffith looked down at Guts, who immediately pulled his large blade back, with it raised at him. "Would you consider lowering your sword?" He asked in a calm and serene voice.

Guts growled back, before he then swung his blade at Griffith. "I guess not..." Griffith said with a disappointed tone, as he used his blade to block and parry Guts's blows one-by-one.

Guts then flew back from one of Griffith's parry, before kicking off the ground and letting out a war-cry, swinging his blade over-head with full force. However, Griffith immediately angled his blade, so that Guts's slash hit the brunt of his blade, which did not even make it budge a inch, surprising Guts, and the watching Gus. When Guts tried to move away, Griffith immediately whipped his blade across, as it pierced right into Guts's chest, missing his heart by several inches, but causing blood to spill out of the wound that was made.

"So... fast..." Guts struggled to say, as he fell off the blade, stumbling backwards weakly. "Damnit..."

He then fell on his back, as Griffith lowered his blade, sheathing it by his waist. "Grif...fith..." Guts muttered, as Griffiths took his helmet off, revealing the long silver hair inside of the helmet, and the sky-blue eyes he had. Eventually, Guts fainted from blood loss, as the men nearby cheered with an uproar at Guts's defeat.

Griffith stared at the unconscious Guts for a few moments, before he then placed his helmet back on his head again, turning towards where Richard's group were. He immediately made his way towards where the group were, as Gus immediately moved back, to help his friends.

Meanwhile, back with Richard, he was still blocking and defending the blows that his opponent was dealing. His opponent seemed to be losing steam, as his blows were becoming more and more sluggish and sloppy. Eventually, Richard had enough, as he parried the next blow hard enough to knock the blade of the enemy out of his hands, sending it flying into the air. Richard's opponent let out a startled cry, as he fell onto his bottom, as the blade dropped blade-first into the ground, sinking fairly deep into it. He then found the point of one of his blades dangerously close to his face.

"How disappointing, all that ambition and boastfulness, and you only amount to so much." Richard remarked, before he raised his blade. "I guess that you're going to be dying in a unmarked grave right here and now."

His opponent cried out, as he tried to back away from Richard, while whimpering uncontrollably. Before he could strike, Richard suddenly sensed Griffith coming his way, as he turned around to face the white-haired warrior. Griffith immediately stopped right before Richard, as Richard lowered his blade slightly.

"Would you consider lowering your sword?" Griffith asked Richard gently.

"Depends on your wish." Richard responded back stoically. "Say what you wish, and I will not attempt to strike you. But I will not lower my blade until it is clear that you will not strike me should I lower my guard."

"I personally witnessed you slay Bazuso with such little effort." Griffith told Richard. "I would like to ask if you and your friends would become a part of my band."

"What is the name of your band then?" Richard asked back.

"It is the Band of the Hawk." Griffith stated, as Richard smiled slightly at hearing the name.

"The Band of the Hawk, hm...?" Richard responded back. "I have heard about you before. A famed and potent band of mercenaries indeed. Had it been any standard mercenary, they would have been laid dead before you. But I am no typical mercenary, as you can tell. That is why you wish for me to join your band?"

"Indeed." Griffith answered back.

"I will accept your offer, on one condition." Richard answered back, as he lowered his blade to point towards Griffith. "I want a fight with you. If you can draw blood from me, then I will accept your invitation. You may be very skilled mercenaries, but I want to see the worth of the leader before I commit to working alongside with you. Think of this as a test of worthiness. I work for those who earn my respect. If I draw blood before you do, then it will be your loss. I hope that you will take this seriously, because I do not hold back against anyone."

"Very well. Prepare yourself." Griffith stated, before he turned to Richard's former opponent. "Corkus, leave us to fight."

"That's the end of the road for you!" Corkus laughed, as he ran away from the fight, as he avoided Richard's friends while moving back.

Speaking of Richard's friends, they noticed him fighting against Griffith, as they stopped fighting, and turned their eyes towards the duel that was about to occur between the two leaders.

As if there was a invisible signal, both Griffith and Richard immediately struck at each other, as the two of them were blocking and parrying each other's blows, at a far greater level than how Richard fought with Corkus earlier, as their slashes was fast enough to blur slightly.

"He's... He's actually fighting at even odds with our leader...!?" One of the Hawk mercenaries exclaimed. "But no-one in our band is able to even harm Griffith, let alone beat him!"

"Damn, that's some fast-paced sword-play there..." Antonio remarked, watching the exchange of blows between them. "Who the hell is this guy, 'Griffith', is anyway?"

As the fight went on, the blows between Richard and Griffith began to speed up and grow much more ferocious, as the sound of blades clanging against each other, rang through the entire battlefield, as Richard's two blades stood against Griffith's slender blade, which danced at a speed faster than any sword could produce. Eventually, Richard noticed an opening in Griffith's stance.

Taking the chance, he immediately used one of his blades to block Griffith's incoming swing, and using the other the strike down through the exposed point, as he swung right down onto the right shoulder of Griffith. However, at the same time, Griffith recovered and immediately thrust his blade right into the front of Richard's shoulder, as both blows connected with their opponent, as blood spilled from their wounds, their attacks stopped by each other.

Richard immediately glanced down at his pierced shoulder, then at the blade that dug into Griffith's shoulder. "Hm... It seems that we've reached an deadlock. We struck each other at the same time, halting each other's blows... Had my swing went on unimpeded... You would have lost the arm along with your blade. But at the same time, you would have severed the muscles in my shoulder, rendering that very same arm useless. An arm for an arm, that's what it has come down to."

"...Indeed it has." Griffith stated, as he looked at the wound he inflicted onto Richard, and the wound he has received. "Then will you join me? I have managed to strike you before your blade has buried itself in my shoulder."

"Ah, it was merely a blink of an eye away." Richard remarked with a frown. "But a word is a word. I shall join the Band of the Hawk, and I will contribute with my full extent of skills, as will my companions. What is your name, leader of the Hawks?"

"It is Griffith, as you might have heard from my men." Griffith answered back.

"It is a pleasure to work alongside you, Griffith." Richard smiled back. "My name is Raze. My group hail from a distant country, where things are much different than in here. So I apologise if there might be some things that I might need clarification on in the future."

"Raze... An interesting name." Griffith muttered to himself.

The two of them immediately withdrew their bloody blades, as Richard clutched the puncture wound on his shoulder, and Griffith gingerly touched where the blade cut him on the shoulder. Elma immediately walked up to Richard and Griffith, before she immediately cast healing on Richard's shoulder, as he silently thanked her. After the wound was treated, she turned to Griffith, who looked at her with intrigued eyes.

"Lord Griffith, may I ask if I could heal the wound on your shoulder?" She offered politely.

"...Of course." Griffith stated, as he immediately dismounted off his own horse, and walked towards Elma, who started healing her. "It's rare that I see someone as youthful as you on a battlefield like this, young one. And you seem to be gifted with some sort of magic."

"I... I'm happy to hear that, Lord Griffith." Elma thanked Griffith, as she finished up. "I'm sorry that you lost so many men fighting us... We..."

"No, the fault lies with me. I should have approached you in a much more friendlier manner." Griffith answered back, as he then returned back onto his horse, and he looked down at Richard and his group, who were gathering around in front of him.

"So then... our leader." Richard remarked. "Where shall we go?"

"I would like to ask if you would help me carry this fellow." Griffith told him, pointing towards the unconscious body of Guts.

"I will handle that." Meiling offered, as she rushed over to where Guts was, and hefted him over her shoulder, returning to where the Band of the Hawk were.

"We shall head to camp, and wait for our next assignment to come." Griffith offered. "Do you require horses of your own, Raze and company?"

"That would be kind of you, Griffith." Richard answered back. "But if you lack them, considering the bloody battle waged moments ago, we can handle our walk back, so long as your hideout is nearby."

"Of course. It is fairly near here." Griffith answered back, before he then guided the group. "Come, I will lead you there."

* * *

_Two days later, at the hideout of the Band of the Hawks..._

Richard and a young man with short blonde hair that was parted away, and green eyes, were waiting outside of one of the tents, as the blonde-haired mercenary was chipping away on a small block of wood, carving it carefully, while Richard was learning against the front of the tent, as he simply flexed his fingers and watched the person next to him at work.

"Say, Judeau..." Richard asked the blonde-haired man next to him. "Since when did you take up wood sculpting as a hobby? You seem to be pretty good with it."

"I picked up during my own childhood." Judeau answered back, without taking his eyes off the piece of wood, as he carved out semi-hexagonal eyes on it. "You don't seem to be surprised at the fact that our band consists of so many people that are around about our age."

"A man is defined by someone who is able to carry a blade and fight with conviction." Richard responded back. "That's my belief. Young or old, this simple fact doesn't change at all. You don't survive in this world, unless you either have someone to support your life, or you carve your own life through effort and dedication."

"Hm. That's an interesting way to think of things." Judeau remarked, before Casca stormed out of the tent, between both of them, as she looked fairly incensed, dressed in a yellow tunic.

Casca glared at Richard for a few moments, as the black-haired blade-user merely smiled and raised a hand, before she then turned around and continued through the main camp. Not long after, Guts immediately pushed the tent flaps away, as he was bare-chested, with only a bloody bandage over his right breast, where Griffith stabbed him. He looked around for Casca, who just left, as he saw the lively scene around him.

He saw Virion playing chess with one of the mercenaries, with a small crowd around them, as Virion made his final move, before leaning back, with a satisfied smirk, as his opponent was in disbelief, as he found himself in checkmate, as the crowd were torn between astonishment and shock from Virion's play. He then saw Gunter helping several of the mercenaries to take care of the horse stables, as he scolded them often while he himself was doing the work. And then he looked in front, as he saw Reimu wrestling a large man to the ground, pinning him down with a arm-lock, as her opponent tried to tap out, as the audience cheered both contenders of the wrestling contest on.

"Oi." Richard stated, catching Guts's attention. "I see that you've finally waken up. You must have got stabbed pretty hard by that blade. I would have had a friend of mine help treat the wound, but I don't think that you would appreciate it, considering your attitude."

Guts merely glared at Richard, before he then proceeded to find Casca. "You should be grateful to Casca." Judeau stated, before he could move far. "You lost so much blood that you had gone cold and started shivering. She laid with you for two days to keep you warm and alive."

"She what!?" Guts exclaimed with shock.

"Well, it's not like she had a choice." Richard answered him. "Casca was on Griffith's order to keep you warm and alive, Guts. He told her that it was a woman's duty to keep a man warm. And I tell you, she most definitely didn't like that."

Judith immediately noticed something, as he threw the dagger he was using to carve the wooden face, that was already completed, through the air, as it took the wing off one of the nearby bees, dropping it to the ground, as it spun helplessly.

"Damn it, Judeau! That was fine wine you broke!" One of the mercenaries shouted with outrage, as he was holding a broken ceramic wine bottle, with the dagger soaked in the alcoholic beverage.

"Sorry, sorry!" Judeau chuckled awkwardly.

"Next time, you might want to check for things behind your target, Judeau." Richard advised Judeau. "After all, it ain't good if you accidentally put a knife into someone unintentionally, right?"

"So, you're awake at last." Griffith stated, as he was in a long-sleeved white blouse, with a stringed necklace that has a large grotesque oval-shaped organism, with jumbled face features all over it. He held Gut's great-sword in his hands, as Judeau left, and Richard and Guts looked towards him. "I am Griffith. And you are?"

"...Guts." Guts simply answered back.

Griffith nodded, before he then lifted the blade and looked at it. "This is some sword." Griffith stated, moving it around slightly. "I could never wield it."

He then handed the sword to Guts, who took it without a single word. "Can you come with me for a moment, alone?" Griffith asked.

Guts looked at Griffith for a moment, before he nodded and followed the white-haired leader, leaving Richard behind.

"Oh, and word of note, Guts! Don't do anything rash, you've still got that hole in your chest!" Richard shouted to Guts, who merely growled back at Richard, before the two of them disappeared around the corner. "Oh Guts... You're going to be in for quite the trip."

"Raze!" Gus shouted, as he ran up to Richard, with Elma and a boy mercenary that seemed to be the same as a early-teens child, with a blonde bowl-cut and dark blue eyes.

"Ah, Gus." Richard stated, as he approached the small group. "What seems to be the matter?"

"I merely want to ask... Are you sure that we should be staying in this band...? I thought that you prefer that all of us work alone." Gus asked Richard.

"Pshaw, what nonsense." Richard remarked. "Of course I do, but Griffith took interest in me, and he has managed to win the wager between us. For now, we'll see if he will be worthy of our continued service with him. Somehow, I believe that he is a interesting man so far, so I will wait and see until them."

"I'll trust you on that then..." Gus stated. "It seems that young Rickert took some interest in dear Elma."

"Hoh?" Richard asked, as he approached the blonde boy. "You take interest in one of my companions, do you, little mercenary?"

"Yes, I do. I felt like that she was quite warm and gentle, just like myself." Rickert honestly answered back. "I'm just simply wishing that I would be able to befriend her myself, since she looks like that she doesn't have many friends beside your group. So I wish to ask if I could-"

"There is no problems at all, Rickert." Richard answered back with a smile, placing a hand on Rickert's shoulder. "I am merely glad that you would be happy to support dear Elma. She is a little timid and shy at times, and having a friend would be a truly great occurrence for her. So yes, I permit you to treat her like a friend. And you won't need to ask me again, since it is her choice if you are willing to care for her, not mine."

"T-Thank you, sir Raze." Rickert responded back with a grateful tone, as Elma smiled as well.

Suddenly, they saw various mercenaries rush past them, towards a certain location, as the group quickly followed after, seeing that Guts was fighting Griffith, as both of their blades were away from them, and they were standing apart from each other. Griffith was wiping some blood dripping from his lips, while Guts cracked his knuckles with a triumphant expression.

"I hate to show you up in front of your own men..." Guts stated, before he cocked his fist back. "But this ends now!"

Guts then threw his body and arm forward, as Griffith side-stepped away from the attack, before grabbing Guts's arm between his own in an arm-lock, before slamming him down belly-first into the ground, with his shoulder digging into Guts's own, and the arm held tightly between both of Griffith's arms in a tight lock.

"That was effective, I have to say." Griffith complimented Guts. "But this fight is over. Admit your defeat, or I'll be forced to dislocate your shoulder."

"...You bastard..." Guts growled back in defiance, before Griffith immediately applied force on his shoulder, popping Guts's arm out of the socket, as he let out a cry of pain, as the gathered crowd of mercenaries cheered.

Guts then got back up, cradling his dislocated shoulder, before Griffith walked over to him, knelt down and slowly placed his hands on the side of Guts's head. "From now on, you belong to me, Guts..." He spoke with a soothing tone, as Guts stared right at him, his eyes slowly widening.

Soon, Griffith lets go of Guts's head, as Richard immediately approached him, and lifted Guts up, as the gruff mercenary looked at him.

"Alright, up you get. You're going to need some time to rest up, after getting beat. Not to mention that you need something for your dislocated arm." Richard told him.

"Ugh..." Guts grunted back. "Why are you here then...?"

"Simple, he wanted me the same way that he wanted you." Richard answered back with a casual tone. "He managed to beat my wager that I set for him, although it almost cost him his entire arm. Perhaps you might have won if I cut his arm cleanly off, but a bet is a bet, and I find this guy to be someone worth following for the time being. After all, I need an band to help fight the bigger battles, right?"

"You really are messed up in the head." Guts stated.

"That's the thing, Guts." Richard chuckled, amused by the comment. "We're all a little crazy, in our own unique way. Come on, let's get you some rest, and I'll see having Bell pop that shoulder back in."

The two of them immediately made towards back to the camp, as the crowd dispersed.

* * *

_In the castle near the outskirts of the capital..._

"Our job is to set fire to the enemy's rations and supplies. We will circle around and attack from behind them." Griffith briefed the mercenaries gathered before him, about the mission. "Then once the deed is done, ride back at full speed."

"What's our support?" Judeau asked.

"There is none. I was told they have no men to spare. They have to prepare against an night attack by the enemy." Griffith answered back.

"Geh! The damn cowards!" Corkus scoffed, being the knight that Richard fought a while ago, being a slant-eyed man with brown-hair.

"Well, it's not like that this is impossible, right?" Antonio asked. "I mean, you guys are pretty damn good mercenaries, so I don't think that the pursuit units would be able to measure up to us."

"The rear guard will be... Guts. You will see to it." Griffith answered back. "It's a rough job. You'll have to keep the enemy busy while the rest of us escape. There's a high risk of death. Can you do it?"

"It's an order, right?" Guts asked.

"Right. We shall march-" Griffith was about to say.

"Actually, I'm volunteering for the rear guard as well." Richard answered back. "If the job of rear guard is just 'crush the enemy until they give up', I'm in for it. Besides, it would be a pity if Guts dies alone. We both rather him to be alive, no?"

"...Very well, Raze. You will join Guts on the rear guard." Griffith agreed.

"What the...!? Are you crazy!? You're going to be the rear guard as well? Are you not afraid of dying!?" Corkus spoke with outrage.

"Well, are the enemy forces formidable?" Richard retorted back, expecting a reply. "No? Then I don't think that either of us are dying soon enough."

"Alright, we will march at dusk." Griffith concluded. "You are all dismissed until then."

* * *

_In one of the main Chuder camps in the area..._

The camp was in high alert, as the soldiers were being mercilessly cut down by the Hawk mercenaries, as Virion took out any cavalry with his precise aim with his bow, and Gunter scattered the enemy forces with a small group of lance knights, sending the enemy forces into disarray, letting the other forces to carve through the guards of the camp.

"Throw!" Griffith ordered, as the mercenaries tasked with holding the torches, simultaneously threw the burning torches into the enemy supply and storage tents, as they lit up quickly due to the immense amount of burnable material inside of them.

"An attack...!? Why is the enemy behind is- ACK!" One of the soldiers remarked, seeing the fire in their camp, before he found his throat skewered through by Velouria's claw, before she immediately went into a frenzy and clawed the enemies to pieces.

"Disregard the enemy! Just get through them and get out!" Griffith shouted to his men, as they started their retreat away from the battlefield, as all of them boarded their horses.

The entire band galloped through several miles of forest, before they encountered the first pursuers ahead of them, as they spotted the retreating Hawks, and engaged them. Guts and Richard immediately dropped from their horses, and charged at the enemy.

"You take the ones on the left path. I'll deal with the ones on the right." Richard stated. "As for the rest of you, you know the drill, get moving and reach the designated retreat point!"

"Got it!" Link shouted back, as he and Virion used their bows to take out the enemies blockading the path ahead, clearing a path for the small band to go through.

Before the Chuder garrison could try to close the gap made by Link and Virion, they were assaulted by Guts and Richard, who tore through their ranks viciously, cutting through anything that was before them.

"Come on, you rusted milk-sops!" Richard mocked with a very loud voice. "Is this the extent that you bastards can challenge me at? The only way you're getting out of this, is in bloody pieces!"

As the horse-back group were advancing towards the retreat point, Reimu immediately saw that there were several squads of Chuder soldiers that was laying in ambush, as they sprang right all around the group.

"This isn't good...!" Griffith remarked, before Judeau immediately used one of his throwing daggers to kill one of the ambush leaders with a head-shot.

"Go, everyone! I will hold them back!" Judeau shouted, as he jumped down from his horse, using his sword to fight the ambush troops off.

"Oh no you don't!" Reimu shouted, as she immediately disembarked from her horse, and used her tailsmans to burn the enemies to crisp with spiritual energy. "We're not going off alone. I don't care if the others are going, but you certainly aren't enough to hold this many enemies off."

"I will assist." One of the larger members of the band, a towering bulky man with dark skin and almost-closed eyes, as well as shaved black hair with a small tail behind the back of his hand, said, as he immediately turned back and used his mace to crush the enemies with brutal strikes.

"Tch, I ain't losing my face by leaving you two behind, Pippin and Judeau." Corkus grumbled, referring to the giant of a man as Pippin, before he then swung back and slashed at the enemies on horse-back. "Come get some!"

Meiling and Gus joined the offence against the ambush unit, as Gus turned to Griffith and Casca. "You two take the rest of the men on! We'll cover your back!" He declared.

"I see... Thank you, my brave men." Griffith nodded, before he and Casca continued on with the remaining group.

Eventually, Richard and Guts managed to defeat the enemy pursuers in the vicinity, as they then rushed by horse to where the ambush was, as they helped the members take out the ambush units one by one, allowing the others to retreat. When Richard speared his blade through the throat of the last ambush leader, Judeau immediately gave him a quick salute.

"Woot! As expected from you." Judeau remarked. "You really look like that you're fresh as a flower, if we ignore the blood staining you."

"That's not important. Now that the inconveniences are eradicated, you might want to get moving." Richard advised.

"Right, see you then." Judeau remarked, as he saddled up on his horse, and continued down the path to the retreat point,

At the same time, both members of the rear-guard noticed more squads of pursuers coming out of the forest around them, as they slowly backed up on each other, until their backs were pressed together. They glanced each other, as the enemy encircled them. However, neither of them showed any fear, as they roared almost simultaneously, and charged the enemy.

Blood and flesh flew everywhere from the mad rampage from both of them, as Guts's strike were hard enough to pierce through flesh with armour, and he often used his blade as a somersault point, sticking it into the ground, allowing him to do a spinning slash that cleaved even the sturdiest of the men in half. Richard opted with thrusts that skewered the organs of his enemies, leaving them in pools of their own blood.

Meanwhile, Elma and Rickert, who both made up the small detachment force of the Band of the Hawk, as they were tasked with distracting the enemy with lure tactics, as they recently heard the order to retreat back to camp, as they made their way through the straight to the retreat point.

"I'm sure that everyone has managed to achieve their goal..." Rickert stated, as their unit moved quickly through the woods. "I can see the smoke rising even from faraway."

"Yes... And I just hope that everyone makes it alive as well..." Elma replied back.

Suddenly, they heard the whistling of arrow bolts, as several of their men were killed by them, as Rickert was struck by one in the lung, causing him to fall backwards on his horse and onto the ground, coughing out some blood. Elma was shocked by the sudden attack, as her horse was put down by a arrow to the brain, as she fell off it, sliding across the ground.

When both of them got up, they saw another ambush unit assaulting their group, as they overwhelmed what remained of their weakened group. Elma immediately moved over to Rickert, who slowly pulled the arrow stuck in his body, as he slumped slightly.

"Rickert! Are you alright, let me heal you-" Elma was about to say, before she heard the cry of a Chuder soldier behind her, as they had their blade raised to cut down at her, as she tried to run away.

However, Rickert acted fast, as he immediately grabbed his own blade by his side, and thrust it into the stomach of the soldier, flooring him, as he writhed in agony.

"I'm... fine... We need to get out of here..." Rickert stated, as he limped around, with his blade raised.

"I'll help you..." Elma responded back, as she used her healing magic to soothe Rickert's wound, as she looked around, as the soldiers slowly approached them. "Please... someone... help... us..."

Richard and Guts immediately finished off the last of the pursuers, as they immediately turned to continue down the path of retreat, when they saw Rickert and Elma in dire straits.

"ELMA! You bastards!" Richard roared with fury, as he immediately sprinted towards the battle at full speed, surprising Guts, who found the speed that Richard was running to be nothing short of astounding.

One of the soldiers managed to smack away a exhausted Rickert, as he immediately prepared to slash at Elma. However, before he could even move, his head came off with a splash of blood, as Richard stood behind it, breathing deeply in both rage and exhaustion.

"You think that picking someone smaller than you is fun...?" Richard stated, before he turned around to face the remaining soldiers. "Well, HAVE FUN BEING THE SMALLER ONES RIGHT NOW!"

Richard then screamed, as he swung his blades in a berserk trance, as his enemies were sliced apart. Elma was shocked to see Richard annihilate his enemies with such cruelty, but opted to focus on helping Rickert, who was still wounded. She immediately lifted him up, and carried him to the nearest living Hawk horse that they could find. She then hefted Rickert onto the back of the horse, before she stroked its head to soothe it, and then immediately getting onto it.

As Guts watched the horse leave with both of the young combatants, he looked around, as he heard the collective shouts of several large groups of Chuder soldiers converging on their location, as Richard was taking a breather after he took out the enemy detachment unit.

As soon the soldiers came, Richard and Guts battled with them, as they cut and cut without any hesitation, and yet the numbers seemed to be too great for them for the current moment, as they were being slowly boxed in.

"Tch, these bastards are cornering us...!" Richard growled. "Guts, it looks like it's do or die right now!"

Suddenly, he watched as Griffith returned with Judeau, Gus, Pippin, Meiling, Corrin and Gunter, as they immediately joined the fray.

"Griffith!?" Richard exclaimed.

"Guts...! Raze...!" Griffith shouted back, as he used his blade to lacerate the enemy with lethal blows.

"I won't leave my comrades." Judeau stated.

"...And especially not our friends." Corrin added. "You're not alone in this, Guts and Raze."

"Come on, with this many enemies, this will be all the manpower that the enemy can spare for our pursuit. If we defeat them... We're relatively safe for most of the way back." Gus assured Richard and Guts.

"Damn... Well, I guess that we have more the reason to keep fighting, right Guts?" Richard smirked.

Guts merely responded by using a wide cleaving slash to send the enemies flying with trails of blood from the powerful blow, as he then slammed his sword through the enemy numbers. Eventually, the group managed to take the enemies out, as Richard and Guts immediately mounted their horses, and fled with the rest of the band.

"You did well to survive, you two." One of the officers in the band remarked. "I've changed my mind about you two! One's relentless, and one's skilled beyond compare! Now I see what Griffith saw in each of you."

Richard merely sighed in relief, as he slumped on his horse, happy that the battle is over for now.

* * *

_At the castle, during the victory feast..._

Guts was standing away from the feast, as he listened to the faint cheers and lively chatter from the nearby feast. When he looked around, he saw Judeau and Richard approaching him, as the latter was holding a wooden mug filled with mead.

"What are you doing in such a place?" Judeau asked with a grin. "Come drink with us."

"Yeah, come on, Guts. It's a toast to our victory. Most of the people are singing praises about us, since we literally left the rear quite clean with our combined efforts." Richard chuckled, before he then took a drink from his cup of mead, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Besides, the mead's pretty damn tasty, if you ask me!"

"I'm good here..." Guts grumbled back.

Rickert then came towards the group, with Pippin and Elma following him, as he turned to Guts. "Uh... Guts... sir? Thank you for earlier. You saved my life out there, with Sir Raze..." He timidly spoke to him. "I really respect the both of you! I've never seen anyone but Griffith fight that amazingly! Sir Raze was as fast and skilled as you were daring and strong!"

"All I did was my own job. No reason to thank me." Guts grunted back.

"Don't be shy." Pippin stated, as he gave off a faint smile. "Being complimented is a good thing indeed."

Rickert then turned to Richard, as he bowed in gratitude. "Sir Raze... I wanted to thank you for saving me as well... And I would like to say that I'm glad that I met someone like Elma... She was the one who helped me get out when I couldn't fight any longer, and she was the one to nurse me to health so quickly... I owe the both of you very much for everything you have done, in order to save me."

"Nah, don't think about it much." Richard remarked with a friendly smile. "By the way, drop the 'Sir' title for me. I ain't no noble and righteous person, but I'm a loyal person, whose priorities is to ensure that everyone that I fight with make it alive. And besides, what kind of person would I be, if I can't even protect someone?"

Richard then grabbed Guts by the elbow. "Alright, c'mon. You're not going to win any favour by being a loner." Richard told Guts, who tried to resist, although he found that despite the difference in their stature, Richard was strong enough to drag Guts away. "I mean, you've got a long way ahead of you, before you can see what this kind of life leads to."

Guts merely sighed, as he reluctantly let Richard drag him, as the others returned towards the feast.

"Right then, a toast for two people. One for our plucky rookie! And one for the rookie with the bad attitude!" Judeau declared.


	3. Chapter 2

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 2: Nosferatu Zodd

* * *

_Three years later, at the main camp of the Band of the Hawk..._

"Hey, did you hear?" Rickert asked everyone in the vicinity, which was Judeau, Corkus, Griffith, Casca, and Guts. "They say that the King himself is riding into battle today!"

"His Majesty himself, taking to the field, eh?" Corkus said with a unamused expression. "Must be not much left of this Midland then..."

"But it also means we'll see more fighting. And that means more chances to make a name for the Band of the Hawk." Judeau explained.

"So we just need to destroy the enemies in front of the King?" Guts asked, as his attire changed over the years, as he now donned a red cape, and a steel breastplate with metal faulds. He also had a leather sheath for a series of throwing knives on his waist, and a leather-strap holding the sheath for his blade. "That's not much different from any other day."

"That's right. I like guys that think like you, simple and straight to the point. You'll take the vanguard, right?' Griffith stated.

"Sure. Leave it to me. And I think that Raze would want a piece of the action as well." Guts smirked back.

"You two..." Casca groaned, covering her face with her hand. "Just act as a diversion. The main force will do the rest."

"I don't think we can promise that, Casca." Richard stated, as she turned around to see his entire group, armed and ready for battle, although they had the golden crest of the Band of the Hawk in various parts of their clothing.

"How much of this have you been listening to!?" Casca demanded impatiently.

"Enough to know that it's Guts and me on the front once again." Richard smiled back, before turning to Griffith. "Well now, I suppose this is the moment where we start fighting?"

"Indeed it is." Griffith nodded.

"Right then, to battle!" Richard shouted to his group, as both groups immediately made their way to the stable, in order to depart for the battlefield.

* * *

_On the battlefield..._

Guts and Richard quickly arrived at the battlefield itself, as they noticed that both armies are already fighting against each other, and he could see the signs of battle as far as he could see. He then noticed that there were several blockades that were separating the two areas of the battlefield, noticing that they were guarded by Chuder forces, evident from the colour of their armour, and the faint outline of the flags hanging above the gates.

"Looks like the Midland forces are not doing so well right now." Richard remarked. "They've got a good portion of the forces boxed in. And considering that there's rumours of the Black Ram Iron Lance Heavy Cavalry on the battlefield...? I think that it suffices to show how far the scales are tipped in Chuder's favour, doesn't it?"

"Hmph." Guts stated, before he then whipped his horse into speeding up, charging right into the enemy.

"Always knowing the right answer for these kinds of things, Guts. I'd say that you're a professional at this. A professional at turning the tables." Richard mused with a smug grin on his face. "Indeed, the only solution for this: Wrench the scales to the other side with our efforts."

Both of them charged through the battlefield, cutting down enemies from horse-back, as they cut through any cavalry that got in their way with momentum-filled strikes. Just as they were nearing the blockades, they noticed a rain of arrows coming their direction. Guts and Richard immediately took action, as Guts used his large blade to block and slice through the arrows, while Richard twisted his horse around, and whipped it into full speed, causing the arrows to miss him, before he then turned his horse around again.

When the rain of arrows stopped, both of the attackers charged the archers, as they were already in panic from how both of the mercenaries were unharmed by the rain of arrows.

"Save us! It's the Demon Blade, Guts, and the Bloody Stream, Raze!" One of the archers screamed out in pure fear, before he was immediately bisected at the head by one of Richard's swings.

"Oh god, I don't want to die! I DON'T WANT TO DIE AGAINST TH-" Another one wailed, before his entire body was cleaved open by Gut's blade.

Eventually, the two of them jumped off their horses, as they separated from each other, to tackle the blockades of either side. When Richard reached his own target, he noticed a large group of troops defending it.

"D-Don't falter! If we work together, we can be able to take him down!" The defence commander stated, trying to rally his men. However, the fearful tone in his own voice made it far less effective than it should be.

"You... Stand a chance against me?" Richard mocked back, as he slowly approached them. "Tch. Dream on."

As he came towards the soldiers, he immediately crossed his blades, before he then darted towards them, as he swiped through the enemy forces in flashes of speed, as the soldiers were being slain by the dozen with each strike. After all was done, the commander was the only one left of his squad, as he looked at Richard with eyes filled with extreme dread, as he tried to back away.

"Stay back! STAY BACK!" The commander wailed, as he swung his blade erratically without any aim.

Richard scoffed coldly, before he jumped up, and sliced the broken commander right from head to toe with his twin blades, splitting the standing body into three vertically carved parts. He then looked around, as he found the mechanism controlling the blockade gates, before he pulled it down, as the wooden gates were slowly pulled open. As they did, he mounted onto his horse, as he rushed into the other section of the battlefield, seeing that Guts has managed to break through the enemies on his side, and was following the same direction.

The two of them looked around, as they noticed that not only the 'Black Iron Ram Heavy Cavalry' was raiding the Midland army's main base, but it was also being bombarded by cannons. As the two of them approached each other, they decided their plan on action.

"Alright, Guts, plan of action now?" Richard asked. "Looks like our dear King isn't doing so well, with the enemy at his doorstep, and that the enemy is blowing their way through."

"You take the cannons. I'll handle the Black Rams." Guts grunted back to Richard.

"Will do." Richard answered back, as he then turned his horse around, and made for the Chuder cannons that are initiating bombardment on the Midland camp.

On horseback, he swiftly cut through the enemy defenders of the cannons, and slew the cannon crews with little effort, as he took the moment to take a Chuder archer's bow and quiver, since he felt like that it would be helpful for taking out enemies from afar. Just as he was about to test his bow on the Chuder forces, he heard the sound of a familiar war horn call.

He then turned his head towards the direction, as he could see the white flag of the Band of the Hawk flying above it, as a large group of Hawk mercenaries came out, with Velouria and Gunter leading them, with Guts's own second-in-command of the Raiders division of the mercenary band, Gaston between them. Richard immediately galloped towards them, as he shot out any enemies that were trying to approach the group, mostly landing fatal shots from close-distance.

When he reached them, he immediately hailed them with a hand-wave. "Hey, Gaston. Looking for Captain Guts?" Richard asked in a warm tone, before gesturing towards the main camp of the Midland forces. "He's just picking a fight with the Black Rams."

"He's doing that...!?" Gaston asked with surprise. "If we don't catch up to him soon, then we'll be in trouble, because our captain needs to lead us to victory..."

"Come now, Gaston. I'll get you across to your captain." Richard assured Gaston with a smile. "Until then, fight your way through the enemy, because they will not allow you to regroup with your infamous captain so easily."

"Right... Alright, everyone, let's show them what Raiders are made of!" Gaston exclaimed, as the Raider cried, and charged through the enemy ranks with vigour.

"Gunther! Velouria! With me!" Richard shouted, as Gunter and Velouria nodded, as the three of them joined the Raider's charge through the battlefield, as they cut through the enemy ranks like knife through soft butter, reaching the main camp with little casualities. When Richard broke the gates open, he saw that Guts was standing amongst the corpses of the entire Black Rams squad, soaked in the blood of his enemies, and seemingly still ready for more. He noticed his own division, and Richard by the gates.

"Hey, Guts. Looks like you've cleaned up the main camp, haven't you?" Richard remarked, before looking around for the Midland officers. "Where's the officers protecting the main camp?"

"Dead." Guts simply uttered, before he hoisted his blade onto his back, before getting onto his own horse. "The battle isn't over yet."

Richard nodded back, as the small battalion moved back to the other side of the battlefield, where a large amount of Chuder forces has breached into.

However, at the same time, the main forces of the Band of the Hawk joined the fray, as Griffith and Casca led their men on, with Gus, Reimu, Antonio and Link in tow. Elma was slightly behind, as she was using her staff to bless the mercenaries with protection and strength, while she healed some of the wounded Midland soldiers as she strode by.

"The... the Band of the Hawk!?" One of the Chuder officers exclaimed, watching the large force sweep across the battlefield. "The mercenary band led by the White Hawk Griffith... The Grim Reapers of the battlefield!"

"We have to take down that silver-haired girl! She's the Young Saint Elma!" Another of the officers declared. "Everywhere she goes, her allies grow in strength, and she has powers that make wounds seem truly temporary! If she remains alive... Then there's no hope of winning, against an enemy stronger and undying under her protection!"

Before the officers could charge at Elma, they were immediately impaled through the chest by Gunter's lance, and Velouria's claws, as the rest of their men were wiped out by a ambush from behind by the group that was leading them. As soon as they saw the other division of the band, Richard immediately raised his blade and voice.

"Band of the Hawk! The enemy crumbles before our might!" Richard shouted. "Their greatest weapons has been blunted, and their plans conquered! They are weak and vulnerable! As the Hawk, we shall swoop over them and spill their very blood with our ruthless talons!" Richard roared out. "Everyone! STRIKE FORTH AND ANNIHILATE!"

The entire battalion of mercenaries roared in response, as they joined Griffith's division in battle, as the leaders and officers of the band efficiently cut through the enemy forces, eradicating their entire chain of command, as what remained of the former Chuder army fled at full speed, with frighteningly high causality rates. The band cheered, as Richard belted out a cheer as well.

As the cheers went on, Gus noticed that Guts was gone, along with Casca. However, from the hoof and foot-prints on the ground, he was easily able to tell where the two of them went, as he followed them into a small forest, where he hid away and watched as the two of them confronted each other.

"What was that about!?" Casca spat out in outrage.

"What?" Guts asked back.

"Don't play dumb with me! Your job was to lead your unit to provide a diversion for the main body's charge!" Casca shouted back. "Instead, you just charge the enemy head-on... alone? And not to mention that Raze actually let you do that! I can't believe you or him! You may have gotten lucky and done well this time... But your selfish behaviour could have exposed the entire Band to danger!"

"Sorry about that. I'll be careful from now on." Guts responded back tersely.

"You always say that!" Casca shouted back. "But you never mean it! And then you go and do the same exact thing all over again! You're satisfied as long as you just get to cross swords with the enemy! Unlike Raze, who actually was doing something productive to his role, by taking out those cannons, you don't think about your comrades one bit... You're just like a mad dog!"

"Say that again..." Guts growled with anger, as he stomped towards Casca. "Try saying that one more time!"

"Both of you, stop it!" Gus shouted, as both of them turned to him. "Look, I know that you're concerned about what just happened, but I'm sure that Guts was confident that his actions would have helped the entire situation. After all, taking out the enemy command would plummet enemy morale, and he did complete his job. Besides, my friend was there to cover him, so that he would make sure things didn't go wrong."

"Stay out of this." Casca hissed back, before she walked past Gus. "You all are being too soft on him, especially Griffith..."

Gus only sighed back, as he watched Casca get on her horse and trot away, before turning to Guts. "Guts... Did you tell Raze to leave you be to go off alone and fight the enemy command?"

"I did." Guts responded back. "And I don't know what that woman is bickering about. I think about my comrades, and I did when I charged. I let Raze deal with the other pressing problems in this skirmish, so that it would put his unparalleled skill to use. And spending three years with him... I think that I have gotten to know him a lot better, considering he's so adamant of sticking with me. I'm not who I used to be, Gus."

"I see." Gus stated, as he smiled faintly in response. "It's quite nice that you and Raze see more in each other, than you would admit."

He then walked away, leaving Guts alone, as he thought about Richard himself.

'_That guy... Why do I feel like that he's more than what he says that he is... Somehow... I know that he's not being honest about himself... But at the same time... I feel something... familiar from him. Like some sort of connection._' Guts thought.

* * *

_At the Hawk's Main camp..._

"Did you hear? Griffith attained the title of Knighthood, as per the decree of the King of Midland!" Rickert exclaimed.

"Really, I'm so happy for that." Elma smiled warmly in response. "Being knighted must be a great honour to receive."

"Of course, Elma. We came out as victors in all of our battles recently, and add to the fact that the Black Ram Iron Lance Heavy Cavalry has been eradicated by Guts alone... I'm sure that they finally recognised the achievements of the Band."

"Well, it ain't just the Knighthood. Griffith was made a Viscount, too. Now, we can say bye-bye to the wretched mercenary life." Corkus sneered, before he was slapped in the hand by a incensed Velouria. "Ow!"

"The hell are you talking about? The mercenary life is the best!" Velouria exclaimed. "Because it means that we can do all this stuff and gets lot of cool rewards for it! If we become knights, then how are we going to legally get all these treasures? You're just saying that, because you're scared to fight, and that nobody wants to marry a dirty mercenary like you."

"Why you-" Corkus was about to retort, before he found Velouria's claws pointed very close to his throat. "Eee! I'm sorry!"

Casca merely sighed at Velouria's comment, shaking her head. "Exactly as Corkus said. We'll be a part of the regular army now, so we can't act like an army of bumpkins, the way we've been till now."

"Not even if Guts and Raze possess commanding ranks of their own?" Gus asked back.

"ESPECIALLY NOT!" Casca thundered back, fuming. "Raze, I might actually be a little looser on, but Guts? You know what you heard, I'm not trusting him to deal with war plans with his self-centred mindset!"

Guts was listening in, although he didn't comment about what Casca said.

* * *

_Some time later, in another castle within the outskirts of Chuder..._

Gus immediately struck down the last of the enemy defenders inside the castle, as he was soon joined by Judeau, Casca, Griffith, Pippin, Rickert and Corkus. Soon enough, Velouria, Link, Virion and Gunter came in as well.

"The west wing of the castle has been cleared." Link relayed to the others.

"And I've just finished taking control of the east wing." Gus responded as well.

"So, we seem to have just about finished taking the enemy's fortress. Only the main building remains, and I'm sure that Guts and Raze will deal with it." Rickert stated.

Judeau seemed to be a little worried, as Gunter noticed the expression on his face. "Is there something wrong, young Judeau?" Gunter asked back.

"...There's a strange rumour that I caught wind of before this battle. That Nosferatu Zodd joined the enemy forces." Judeau responded back, as the members of the Band of the Hawk, except for Pippin, all reacted strongly to the name being spoken.

"'Nosferatu Zodd'!?" Casca exclaimed.

"Who's that?" Pippin asked back, not knowing the person.

"You didn't know, Pippin!? Among mercenaries, Nosferatu Zodd is a legendary swordsman. They say he's killed hundreds, even thousands on battlefields." Rickert explained.

"Psh. That's all about him? I'm thinking that his nickname 'Nosferatu' is not just for show." Velouria scoffed. "If I remember correctly, 'Nosferatu' is a dark name, one that correlates to immortality."

"It's true! Every time a rumour arises about his assumed death, he shows up again in some other battle!" Rickert frantically responded back. "And the unbelievable thing is... people have been telling stories about him for close to a hundred years! And yet he always is seen in his peak age! That's why he's called Nosferatu!"

Gus, Gunter, Velouria, Link, and Virion all exchanged glances for a while, before they nodded as if they were in agreement about something.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't tell me you actually believe those fairy tales! C'mon, little Rickert!" Corkus exclaimed.

"But Guts... He might charge in if he sees someone like him..." Judeau stated.

Gus then immediately left the group, as his companions followed him, as Griffith watched him go. "Where are you going?" Griffith asked him.

"To find Raze, and Guts as well. If I have fought of the things correctly, then I know that these rumours are not mere words." Gus stated with a strong tone, before he left.

* * *

_In front of the main keep of the castle..._

Guts was shaking Gaston furiously, as Richard was silently looking on, with the rest of the Raiders joining him at looking at their second-in-command and captain quarrelling, as several Raiders tried to restrain their Captain.

"Why didn't you report to me sooner!?" Guts roared at Gaston, shaking him for emphasis.

"You see... someone said something about a treasure being hidden deep inside... but then..." Gaston tried to explain.

"Then we started to hear the screams..." Another Raider continued to explain. "And those who went to check it out never came back..."

"Let go! I will go myself!" Guts shouted, before he shoved the Raiders away from him, before drawing his weapon, and walking towards the shattered wooden doors of the keep.

"Captain!" Gaston pleaded.

"Don't follow me!" Guts roared back, causing the Raiders to back away. However, Richard merely followed after him. "I told you that I will go myself!"

"No can do. If you're going to fight whatever crazed bastard is inside there, two are better than one in this case. Right now, we need to take out the enemy quickly." Richard answered back with a tone devoid of any of his former joviality and friendliness. "This is NOT a request. Like it or not, I'm going with you."

"Grrr... Fine." Guts snarled back, before the two of them entered the corridors.

As they passed through the dark corridors, with only the fading light of the broken doors behind them they saw a mess of mutilated corpses in their way. Some had their heads split open, while some were completely bisected by a blade, and others suffered the fate of having their own insides being torn out. Both of them fought to urge to gag at the horrific scene, as they continued on into the main room of the keep, where they found themselves surrounded by stone pillars. As Guts stepped in, his foot landed in a pool of blood, as he saw that it came from a pile of corpses in front of them.

Suddenly, they heard a man's scream, as both of them rushed through the room towards the sound of the scream. When they reached the location, they came into the sight of a large muscular man, who had spiked black hair, and was dressed in nothing but a black rugged kilt. His enormous blade was impaled through the body of a Raider, which was potentially the source of the scream. He seemed to have heard both of them approach, as he turned his head around, as the torch's light revealed that his expression was more demon than man, with solid red eyes.

Richard merely glared back, as Guts roared, charging at the large man with his blade. The man immediately turned around, as he threw the Raider's corpse right at the both of them, before he then swung right at Guts, their blows intercepting each other. Guts was knocked back, flying through the air from the massive force behind the attack, before Richard caught him. Guts then pushed himself off Richard, as the both of them faced their enemy.

"You parried that well, boy." The man spoke in a deep and gruff voice, before he then pointed his blade towards Richard. "I feel something from you that seems familiar to me. Tell me, boy. Who are you?"

"Your executioner." Richard coldly responded back, before he then darted towards the man, striking at him with both of his blades.

Guts watched as the both of them fought each other, as Richard ducked and dodged out of the way of the giant man's strikes, countering with grace and skill. However, his attacks were intercepted each time by the man's blade, making them mere glancing blows, and no matter how many wounds he received, the man didn't seem to weaken the slightest at all. He tried to fight, but the man's presence was forcing a overwhelming pressure all over himself, causing him to be suppressed, as his body was trembling without control, even though he didn't feel any fear at all.

"What't this... this overpowering sense pushing at me at all directions!?" Guts muttered to himself, as he strained to move under it. "And why is Raze able to fight like he's unaffected by it...? He's incredible, being able to fight Raze like that... I was speechless at how good Griffith was, but this guy... His power is... inhuman...! A monster...!"

Richard immediately jumped back, as the man struck his blade down towards him with a growl. However, Richard side-stepped the attack, before he then twisted himself around, and thrust both of his blades deeply through the chest of the man. Guts was stunned at how Richard managed to get a lethal blow right onto the man, as blood spilled out under the blades.

However, much to Guts's surprise, the man merely laughed, as he dropped his blade, before he then grabbed Richard's blade with both of his hands, before pulling them out with a squelch.

"You are the first man in a hundred years to have been able to force me to defend myself..." The man said. "And now you are the first to have driven your blades so deeply into me."

"A hundred years, hm?" Richard remarked, as his eyes met with the man's. "So this the infamous 'Nosferatu Zodd' that I face right now, isn't it?"

'_Nosferatu Zodd!?_' Guts thought with shock.

Zodd merely laughed back in response. "You are quite knowledgeable, boy." Zodd stated. "Now I see what that familiar aura of yours relates to."

Suddenly, Zodd's body was immediately engulfed in a cloud of fog, as strong winds blew around him. When the winds and fog scattered, Zodd has transformed into a large minotaur, with massive curved horns, and clawed hands. The very appearance of the monster caused Guts to fall into a state of shock.

"I am pleased. I have lived these three hundred years, waiting to fight an opponent like you...!" Zodd exclaimed. "Show me, boy! Show me that power that emanates from your entire body! Fight me! And do not disappoint me!"

He then roared, before he then lifted Richard using the blades, and threw him towards the nearest stone pillar. With how short of a distance he had, Richard was unable to recover fast enough, as the force of the throw slammed him through the pillar, as he skidded across the floor. He then slowly got up, as Guts looked at Zodd with fear in his eyes.

"Impossible... a monster like this! It can't be real!" Guts exclaimed, before he then looked at Richard. "But still... I won't stand here...!"

Guts then moved in front of Zodd, as the large monster was walking towards Richard.

"Oh, you would challenge me as well then?" Zodd remarked, before his mouth formed a malicious grin. "Very well, I will see if you are capable of being my opponent. You parried my blade well last time, but let us see if you are capable of pleasing me as well!"

Zodd then swung at Guts, as the swordsman dodged the blows, as he drove his blade into Zodd over and over again, but the blade didn't seem to be able to pierce through the monster's thickened hide enough to draw blood.

"What's wrong? Is this it? Is this all you got?" Zodd growled back at Guts. "No, I guess I should say you did well for a human... A human who would lay his life on the line... But I won't show mercy!"

Richard then recovered, before he charged into the fray, as he jumped up and struck at Zodd's head, as his blade smashed against the horns on the bovine creature, grinding against the calcified structure, before he withdrew his blades and landed back down on the ground.

"What's the matter? Are you refusing to use your full power against me?" Zodd asked Richard. "If you will not fight seriously, then I will crush you and your friend right where you stand!"

"You haven't forced my hand yet, Zodd." Richard responded back, before he then carved at Zodd's legs, as his blade was able to slice through his hide and draw blood from it.

"Hahaha, now this is interesting!" Zodd chortled, as he used his arms to block the blows from both Guts and Richard. "Show me! SHOW ME WHAT BOTH OF YOU ARE CAPABLE OF!"

Suddenly, Zodd felt a barrage of arrows embed themselves in his back, as he turned around with anger, seeing that it was the Band of the Hawk, as their archers fired their crossbows into his back.

"Stay focused! Second volley..." Griffith ordered, before swinging his blade out. "Fire!"

Zodd used his arm to block the next volley of arrows, as he snarled in fury, stomping towards the mercenaries. "I won't have this!" Zodd screamed. "No-one shall defile this fight, no matter who you are!"

Velouria then jumped up, just as Zodd swiped his arm across to sweep the mercenaries away, as she ran up it, and jumped right toward Zodd's face, before she tore at it with both of her claws in a cross-slash. Zodd roared in fury, clutching his face, as the claws managed to cause him pain. Gus immediately rushed up, and drove his blade into Zodd's leg, causing him to kneel in agony.

"Raze!" Gus shouted.

"Gus!" Richard yelled back, before he then turned to Guts. "We may be able to force Zodd to kneel, but he won't stay like that for long! We need to leave now!"

Guts nodded, as the both of them rushed towards the band. However, as they did, Zodd flailed his arm towards Guts, as it connected, sending Guts flying into a stone pillar, as he writhed in pain from the impact.

"Guts! I'll help you!" Griffith exclaimed, as he rushed towards Guts. However, when Zodd's face recovered, he immediately spun around, whipping his tail and slamming Griffith across the room, as his helmet and blade were knocked off him. Zodd turned around, before walking towards Griffith.

Guts got up slowly, as he limped from the pain, although he still raised his blade ready to continue fighting. "Stop! Don't you dare! He's my... my...!" Guts growled with burning rage, as blood leaked from his fore-head.

Zodd then raised a fist, as Richard darted forward to strike him from behind. "Farewell, human!" Zodd exclaimed.

However, just as Zodd was about to attack Griffith and finish him, Griffith's head lolled to the side, revealing the red organic accessory hung around his neck, as he stopped himself, before backing away. "This is... the Egg of the King!?" He exclaimed. "Why is the Crimson Behelit here!?"

Richard then skidded to a halt, as he looked at Zodd, who began ominously chuckling. "So that's their ploy...!" Zodd exclaimed, before he then drove his fist into the roof of the keep, as dust and stone rained down on the ground, creating a dust cloud that obscured everyone's sight, save for Gut's and Richard's, as it cleared around them, as Zodd extended the devil wings on his back, blowing it away.

"Hear this, boys." Zodd declared. "I have a warning for you. Nay, a prophecy. If you are a true friend to this man, take heed. When this man's ambition crumbles, it is when you both will face your death! A death you can never escape!"

He then shot right out of the hole he made, as Guts and Richard watched him disappear into the dark skies.

"A 'true friend'? I will face death?" Guts remarked. "I don't get it...!"

Casca rushed to Griffith, as she shook him. "Griffith! Speak to me!" Casca shouted.

Guts heard her, as he turned around, as he slowly limped towards the two of them, before he stumbled, and was caught by Pippin and Judeau.

"Griffith! Are you alright?" Guts asked.

"Stay away!" Casca screamed back, as he gave him a hateful look, as tears ran down her eyes. "This is all your fault... You put Griffith in danger and almost got him killed... IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Guts was shocked at the oozing hate from Casca's words, as Pippin and Judeau helped him, while Casca picked up Griffith in her arms.

Gus walked to Richard, as his other friends did the same, as they saw that Richard was still looking at the hole that Zodd made.

"Raze, are you alright-" Gus was about to ask, placing a hand on Richard's shoulder, before he then saw Richard's expression which stunned him into silence.

Richard's expression... was completely tranquil, although his eyes reflected a different expression entirely, as they looked completely cold and dark. And what's more is that Gus could faintly hear Richard breathe the words.

"_A death you can never escape... A death you can never escape..._"

Suddenly, Richard uttered those words in a voice barely louder than a whisper

"A death I can't escape...?"

And then after that, Richard's mouth then slowly curved up into a smile, as he silently chuckled, as it slowly turned louder and louder, and became more and more uproarious, as it unnerved every one of his friends, as Gus's expression paled at how Richard's laughter seemed demented in a sense.

"Raze, stop... Please!" Gus shouted at his close friend.

And with those words, as soon as it started, Richard's laughter cut off into silence, as he slowly turned around. "Yes, Gus?" Richard asked in a eerily calm tone.

"Everyone's gone. We should head back to camp. You need to take a break. I can see how much you need one right now." Gus stated, as his expression was extremely concerned.

"Hm. Very well." Richard responded back, before he walked past the group.

As Richard walked, the rest of his group were unable to see the dark expression on his face.

"A death I can't avoid...? Laughable." He muttered quietly to himself. "We shall see, Zodd. We shall see that if the ones you and your brethren idolise, the God Hand, are capable of such a thing. We'll see who is the predator, and who is the prey when the 'time' comes."


	4. Chapter 3

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 3: The War Progresses

* * *

_In a small plain, where the Autumn Hunt was held... _

Virion was dashing across the field, as his arrows seemed to take out most of the prey that he could find, even birds and bears, which the other hunters seemed to be unable to deal with.

"Damnit, how good of a shot are you!?" One of the hunters exclaimed, as he tried to take down a elk, before Virion killed it with a shot to the head, before he could, as the hunter barely restrained his fuming anger at the fact that he was outmatched by Virion.

Virion didn't seem to care much about the reactions of his fellow competitors, as he was focused on the hunt. However, when he spent enough time hunting, he immediately turned to leave, without a single word, as the other hunters released a collective breath, since him leaving means that they could actually hunt properly without his interference.

The Band of the Hawk, as well as several divisions of the Midland Army were standing around the hunting area, keeping an eye out for any enemies that could possibly interfere with the hunting session. Richard was slowly trotting his horse along, before he noticed a woman on a royally-decorated horse, wearing a short red and yellow royal dress, with a large floppy red hat, and a golden necklace around her neck. She had flowing long brown hair, as well as green eyes. With a single glance, he deduced that she might be the princess of Midland.

He then slowly approached the princess, who was watching the hunt, with some sorrow in her eyes. At the same time, Griffith trotted beside the princess, as he then turned to her. "Do you dislike hunting?" Griffith asked the princess, who turned around to face him.

She slowly nodded, before she responded back, "Why is it that men enjoy bloodshed so much?" She asked Griffith, as the latter looked up, before he stripped a leaf from a hanging tree branch, while the princess turned back to the ongoing hunt, her tone become slightly melancholic. "Hunting... and war... and..."

Griffith then pressed the leaf over his lips, before he gently blew, as it emitted a harmonious humming sound, which drew the princess's attention. Griffith looked at her, before he then saw Richard coming towards the both of them, as he lowered the leaf. "Ah, Raze. What brings you here?" He asked Richard politely.

"Just wanted to see the famed princess of Midland close and personal." Richard casually responded back, as the princess turned to him, before she immediately reeled back, as if she was slightly afraid of him. However, Richard didn't seem to be offended by the reaction, as he gave off a disarming smile. "Now, now. I'm not the psychopath that I am on the battlefield, princess. Do not worry, I have come in goodwill and friendship. You do not need to be afraid of me. I am merely a man like Griffith and the men are."

"Oh... I'm sorry for reacting like that... It's that you're..." The princess responded back to Richard.

"I'm a little too passionate for battle?" Richard interrupted, before he shook his head. "Well, you're not wrong. But I only do so, because battle makes me feel alive. It's not the killing that satiates my will, but the adversity and the results of such battles that do so. I treat others with the respect that they deserve, and I try my best to create joyous occasions in socialising with others. That's just how a man lives, don't they?"

"I... I see." The princess responded back.

"So...Griffith, what're you doing? Are you trying a little trick to cheer the princess up a little from having to watch this dreary event?" Richard inquired Griffith.

"Indeed." Griffith nodded, as he gestured to the leaf in his hand. "How about you two have a try?"

"Why not? I like to make the princess see me in a much more ideal light than I should be." Richard smiled, before he then plucked a leaf from the branch above him, as the princess did the same.

Richard slowly blew on it, as it let out a slightly wet sound, as he found that he wasn't doing it right, before he then tried out several different positions with his leaf, before managing to get his leaf humming. The princess was less fortunate, as she merely blew as hard as she could on the leaf, without any idea how to use it. She tried to follow Richard's lead when he finally made his leaf hum, but she still couldn't get it to sound off properly.

"Your Highness. Here, softly." Griffith stated, as she demonstrated with his leaf, blowing it at the right force to make it hum. The princess tried again, before her leaf managed to hum. She let out a surprised sound, as Richard smiled at the princess's success.

The three of them then immediately hummed with their leaves, as Richard hummed in a manner that made their humming sound like a simple tune. Griffith and the princess both chuckled at his antics, as Richard laughed a little as well. After a while, they stopped humming with their leaves, as Richard sighed deeply.

"Ah... That was pretty nice. Who knew that the princess was a fun-loving little lady?" Richard remarked, before he turned to the princess. "Oh, right. I never asked for your name, Your Highness."

"It's Charlotte." Charlotte introduced herself to Richard. "Griffith met me a while back, when my father praised them for their victory on the front."

"Oh, you mean the battle where we helped the Midland forces by taking out the Black Ram Iron Lance Cavalry?" Richard asked back, before he smiled. "Well, I guess that word travels fast here-"

Suddenly there was the shrill cry of a wild boar, followed by the sound of a guard being knocked aside by it, as it darted towards where the group was, as it brushed past Charlotte's horse, spooking it severely, as Charlotte wailed, with her horse immediately bolting away. Richard and Griffith immediately moved to her aid, as Richard whipped his horse into full speed, as Griffith did the same.

They chased her down through a patch of forest, as Griffith leapt from his horse, and onto Charlotte's own, as he took the horse's reins, as Charlotte turned to face him, as he was leaning on her. "You're safe now, your Highness."

He slowly brought the horse to a stop, over a shallow river, as Griffith's horse came to a stop, and Richard halted right near the two of them. Charlotte then threw her arms around Griffith, hugging him tightly, as she tried her best not to cry.

"Are you hurt?" Griffith asked, as Charlotte held him even tighter than before. "What is the matter?"

"I... I was so terribly frightened." Charlotte responded back. "My heart is still pounding! Never before had I...-"

Griffith then jumped down from the horse, landing in the river, and onto his knees, as he looked up to a confused Charlotte, before he smiled. "It seems you are alright now." He said, as Charlotte was slightly moved by his smile. "Shall we head back? I'm sure everyone is worried."

"Yeah, I saw that Guts and the others were looking for us." Richard stated, gesturing towards the clearing behind him, as distant hoof-beats could be heard.

"Griffith! Raze!" Guts shouted, his voice trailing from the forest creating a small echo.

"Guts!" Griffith called back, as he stood up, and slowly walked towards Guts and his band, who were approaching.

However, there was the whistling of two arrows through the air. Richard managed to hear that and barely react, by throwing himself from the horse, as the arrow sailed over where his torso was. Unfortunately for Griffith, the second arrow was aimed at him, as it struck him in his left breast, piercing through his armour. He slowly toppled over, as Charlotte gasped in horror.

Richard immediately got up, before he then walked over to Griffith. "Griffith!" Richard shouted, as Guts and the rest of the band arrived shortly after. Guts hopped down from his horse, as he furiously searched for the assailant, while Richard checked Griffith, who was slumped over. When he plucked the arrow out of the hole in the armour, and slightly shifted the armour to take a look where the arrow hit, he made a relieved expression, as the arrow struck where his strange necklace was, and it was untouched, save for a minuscule dent where the arrow's tip struck it on the front.

"Everyone, Griffith is fine! The arrow didn't pierce through his skin!" Richard shouted to everyone, as Casca looked extremely relieved, before he then looked at the arrow's tip, which was conical. "Hm, someone accounted for your armour, Griffith. "Someone knows you would be coming, and took the chance to assassinate you."

"Do not touch it. It's most likely poisoned." Griffith warned Richard, who immediately jammed the arrow tip-first into the water, as wisps of sickly dark-green colour washed through the river stream. "As I thought."

"Well, I guess you have that necklace of yours to thank, Griffith. It stopped the arrow's full force." Richard answered back, as Griffith pulled out his necklace, seeing the dent on it.

"Uwaa, it's like a miracle!" Corkus exclaimed, as the other mercenaries joined in on mentioned how miraculous Griffith's survival was. Guts immediately turned to leave.

"Where are you going, Guts? I don't think that the assassin would be stupid enough to not bolt at this moment." Richard asked him.

"Doesn't matter. I'm checking the surrounding with my men regardless." Guts answered back, before he then roared, as the Raiders formed up on him, and followed him around the nearby area.

"Griffith, you should remove your armour." Casca asked Griffith with a concerned tone, feeling around his armour. "If you have even a small scratch..."

Griffith then suddenly turned his eyes towards somewhere, as Richard followed his eyes, before he then saw that there was a figure in the distance through the clearing that Griffith was gazing through, as it was two men on horseback, one of them that Richard could swear was familiar. He then watched as the figures galloped away, as Richard's expression soured greatly.

"Huh. I guess I was wrong..." Richard remarked. "The person responsible actually was around here for that long."

"Griffith...?" Casca asked, as she noticed that he was looking somewhere else.

"Heh. This poison, it's not cheap at all..." Griffith remarked, as a smile appeared on his lips, before he then mounted onto his horse. "We must return to the rest of the group. After all, they will be wondering where we will be."

The mercenary band immediately turned back towards the gathering, as Griffith's smile didn't disappear from his lips.

* * *

_In the castle of Lord Julius..._

As the sky turned to dusk, two figures immediately approached the castle, as their entire bodies were covered in black cloaks that are hung over their heads to hide their faces, as well as silken masks to cover everything but their eyes.

One of the figures immediately turned to the other, before he then suddenly gestured for his partner to rush for the closing moat-gate, while he would find a way to sneak around into the castle in a different way. The other hooded figure nodded, as he then rushed towards the closing bridge, jumping up to catch the end of the rising bridge, before slipping over inside.

The hooded figure that was waiting behind immediately lifted his hood slightly, and lowering his mask slightly to breathe for a few moments, revealing that it was Richard himself. As he slowly made his way around the edge of the castle, he took the moment to recall how he was saddled with the job of infiltrating the castle with his partner, who is Guts, although the latter was only equipped with a standard blade to avoid unwanted attention.

_"You want me to kill a man? Who?" Guts asked Griffith, as the both of them were inside a small bedroom._

_"The general of the White Dragons, Lord Julius." Griffith answered, as he was inspecting the arrow that he took from his own armour. "The arrow that hit me was dipped with a special poison, one this royal family has used for generations in such cases. This is dirty work. There can be no mistakes.__"_

Richard then managed to find a wall that had a worn ladder next to it, as he walked over, propped the ladder up silently, before he then climbed up the ladder slowly, until he was on top of the castle wall. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he then looked around, before he noticed that there was a guard that was walking away from him.

Richard then drew a serrated knife from his sukima, before he crept up to the guard, and ripped open the guard's throat with a swift pull, as the guard collapse instantly on the ground, the only sounds he could make were dying chokes. Richard then threw the knife back into his sukima, as he slowly traversed through the castle, sticking to the shadows.

_"This is why I'm asking you. Will you do this?" Griffith asked Guts._

_"This isn't like you." Guts smirked. "Just give me an order like you always do."_

_"...Very well. Guts, I order you-" Griffith stated, before they both heard the door to the room creak open, as they turned to see Richard coming in, with a smug look on his face._

_"Contemplating murder behind the backs of Midland nobility, Griffith? Tsk tsk." Richard clicked his tongue. "If it wasn't me listening in, then you would be in dire straits now."_

_"How much did you hear?" Griffith asked, trying to keep his tone calm, although he was slightly unnerved by Richard hearing the conversation._

_"All of it." Richard responded back. "And before you say anything, I'll help you out as well. It would be best if we make it seem like there are two after his head. That way, the enemy won't suspect another assassination, because they might have been able to prevent one of them. That's how you exploit the naivety and hubris of nobility."_

_"That's... intriguing. Where did you learn of this?" Guts asked Richard._

_"That is a story that you're going to learn later." Richard answered back. "Now then, when should be the right time to strike?"_

As Richard slowly crept up the stairs to Julius's personal room, he looked around, listening hard for anyone coming his way. When he was certain that he was safe, he slowly opened the door, as he watched the blonde-haired lord, in his night-time white tunic, was looking over several war-time documents over a table, as the candles lit close to him.

Richard then looked up, as he saw the upper door of the room creak open, seeing Guts quietly descend down towards Julius. The Midland lord, noticing that there was a cold draft in the room, immediately stopped looking at his documents.

"The wind...? Hey, Hassan?" Julius called for his guard, as Richard slowly crept towards him, into the light.

"Oh, don't bother. He's dead." Richard spoke in a chilling tone, as Julius turned towards him with a fearful look in his eyes. "Just like you will be, 'Lord' Julius."

"Ugh! Intruders!?" Julius cried, seeing both Guts and Richard, before he then swiped his arm on the table, knocking the burning candle-stand towards Richard. However, Richard simply ducked as he ran towards Julius, just as the lord turned around to reach for the sword on the armour stand nearby. Richard then shoved Julius down on the ground, before he then pulled out a long knife, and jabbed the whole blade into Julius's skull, as the lord died almost instantly.

Richard then stood back up, as he looked around for something to wash or wipe the blood of his knife. He then noticed that there was a untouched jug of wine, as he dipped his knife into the wine, as the blood was washed off, with it being masked by the red colour of the wine. He then turned to Guts with a prideful smile.

"Easy execution, eh?" Richard remarked. "You go back the way you came from, and see if there isn't anyone coming to look for any of us, or our deceased lord. I'll check the way I came from."

Guts nodded, before he then rushed up the stairs, before making his way out of the door. Richard then walked over to the door he came from, moving his hand towards the handle. However, he stopped when he heard footsteps coming from the other side of the door, before the door-knob jiggled slightly. He immediately stuck himself against the wall next to it, slowing his breathing to a unnoticeable rhythm, as he waited for whoever was on the other side to come in.

Richard watched as a blonde-haired boy walked through the door. "Father, I want to talk to you about..." The boy asked, before he then saw the corpse of his father, as he immediately froze, letting out a horrified cry.

Before he could do anything, Richard quickly grabbed the boy, with one arm around the waist of the boy, and the other on the mouth, pressing his head onto Richard's own chest. The boy tried to struggle, as his muffled cries sounded, although Richard didn't loosen up his hold.

"Alright then, I expected that he would have a child." Richard remarked before he looked down at the child, who looked fearfully back up to him. "I'll make this simple and quick. Your father died, because he angered the wrong people. And I'll tell you that I personally killed him. How do you feel? Angered? Shaken with fear? Or are you merely surprised at how I managed to easily assassinate your father so simply?"

The child didn't respond back, as he gave up struggling, since his fear of Richard stopped him from attempting any more resistance against the much stronger and much older assassin that was holding him captive at the moment.

"Afraid it is then?" Richard responded back. "I see that you're either too scared to cry in sorrow of your father's loss, or there is no love lost between the both of you. Do not worry if I'm going to kill you along with your father. I only came here to kill your father, and no-one else, unless I am truly forced to do so. And before I leave, I will leave you with this, young heir: Do not bother wasting resources and effort to try and seek me for vengeance. You will certainly never see me again, let alone try to capture or kill me. Focus instead on stabilising your own family, and be a better man than your father."

The boy was silent, as he was shocked that he was hearing such statements from Richard, as Richard then pulled out his knife, which was bloody, as the boy began to wriggle in fear, as he was worried that Richard was going to kill him regardless.

"Be still. I said that I will not kill you." Richard responded back. "I will merely strike you on the back of the head with the hilt to knock you out. If you will not be still, then I will choke you until you faint, and that is a much more painful experience than being struck on the back of the head. So will you behave, or not?"

The child immediately stopped moving, as Richard then smacked the hilt of his weapon on the back of the male heir, as he was knocked fully into unconsciousness, slumping over Richard's arm. He then slowly lowered the child on the ground, back-first. "Good boy." Richard whispered gently to the boy, who was breathing normally.

He then immediately left through the door, as he slowly descended down the staircase, before he heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming his way, as he saw the guards coming his way, before he then fired several ice bolts that struck the guards, freezing them over before they could alert the rest of the castle to his presence. As soon as he was free of the staircase, he immediately leapt through a sukima, warping back to the point where he and Guts started infiltrating the castle from.

He waited for a few moments, expecting to see Guts coming his way, before he saw the large mercenary jump right off the wall in front, splashing right into the moat. He saw that Guts were being pursued by the guards, as they seemed to believe for a moment that his partner was dead, as they turned around and went back into the castle. However, Guts slowly climbed out of the moat, as he clutched his left shoulder, which had a arrow stuck inside of it.

Richard then rushed over to Guts, as he looked at the arrow stuck in his shoulder. "You need some help with that?" Richard asked.

"No need. I'll walk it off." Guts responded back. "How did you..."

"Guards didn't come my way." Richard answered back. "They seem to be preoccupied with you, by the looks of it. Looks like I was the lucky one here. Still, our task went off without much problems. Still, you better get that patched up, if you get sick from infection on the wound, then I'll chop that arm off myself."

Guts was slightly disturbed at Richard's threat, as he nodded. Richard then gestured for Guts to follow him, as the both of them made their way back to Griffith.

* * *

_In a small plaza near the grand halls..._

As Richard and Guts ascended the marble stairs to the plaza, they saw Griffith and Charlotte enter the plaza above them, as the two of them were dressed in fancy ball outfits, with Griffith wearing a blue cape with a white royal suit and blue pants, while Charlotte wore a soft pink hair-band, and a pink and red long dress.

Charlotte then looked over to her left, as Griffith walked towards the edge of the large fountain, before he then undid his cape, and placed it over the edge, like a cover for sitting. "Here, Princess Charlotte." Griffith instructed, as Charlotte turned around to see him bow and gesture towards the covered section of the fountain edge.

"Oh my, thank you!" Charlotte exclaimed with joy, as she was slowly lowered down by Griffith.

"Well now, looks like Griffith is really putting it into Your Highness Charlotte." Richard remarked with a grin. "I guess that even someone who is so focused on his work would find love in a care-free princess like her."

Guts was about to step up to speak with Griffith, before he was stopped by someone placing a hand on his shoulder firmly.

"Wait." Casca stated, as Guts turned his eyes towards her. "You intend to go looking like that? You'll only embarrass Griffith. If you have something to say to him, wait till he's alone."

"I agree. It would be bad if Princess Charlotte saw us dressed like this." Richard responded back. "Let's just listen from afar, and wait like Casca said."

Casca then saw the wound on Gut's shoulder, as she then turned to Richard. "Do you have a knife, and some of your cloak to spare?" She asked.

"It's fairly dry and clean, if that's what you're asking." Richard stated, before he then undid his cloak, and handed her his knife, which was already clean of any blood. "Go ahead, use the cloak to bandage his wound. I was going to do that, but he told me he could tough it out."

Casca grumbled at Guts, before she then cut off a small part of Richard's black cloak, before she then tied it around his shoulder and the wound tightly, and then finishing it with a knot. Guts was surprised that Casca took care of his wound without much complaint, before he then heard Griffith continue speaking.

"Why are most men so preoccupied by bloodshed..." Griffith stated, as he turned to Charlotte. "You once asked me that, didn't you?"

"Yes..." Charlotte responded back with a gentle nod.

'It's true that men possess a side that is rather savage, as you have already observed from the hunt." Griffith continued, turning away from her again. "But I think it is a tool, a sword if you will, which allows them to preserve something that is dear to our hearts. It is a double edged sword."

"Something dear...? Like a lover?" Charlotte guessed, before she then shook her head. "Ah... I mean, a knight's honour?"

"Love and honour are both very important." Griffith agreed. "These are the things many knights are willing to die for. But I believe, a man should have one more thing, something even more precious."

"Something more precious?" Charlotte asked, curious about what Griffith was about to say.

"Something entirely for their own sake, not for someone else. A dream." Griffith answered back.

"A dream...?" Guts muttered.

"Indeed, Griffith is not wrong." Richard answered back. "A dream is something that is more unique than one would think. Each dream is never the same as the others, no matter how it is seen or phrased as. It is something that no-one shares with you, not even a lover, or your liege."

"Regardless of class or status, all men chase dreams." Griffith continued. "One can be sustained by a dream, or hurt by it. Be revived by a dream, or get killed by it. Even if their dream abandons them, it will smoulder in their hearts forever. Every man envisions a life like that, at least once, to willingly give oneself up to the god named Dream. To simply live a life because one was born into it... I cannot stand that the most."

Richard noticed the slightly angered expression on Griffith's face as he spoke those words, as Richard's own expression changed as well, although it was much more sorrowful. '_That is something that I share with you, Griffith... A life is never truly set in stone, despite their own upbringings and past. I wish I could say the same about those who have lost their way because of the fact that they lost themselves in a dream. As someone who long lost his initial dream... I understand what it feels like to be chained to a desire like that._' He thought sadly.

"I apologise. This must be a boring discussion for a lady." Griffith told Charlotte.

"Oh, no...!" Charlotte responded back with a flustered tone,and a mild blush on her cheeks. "Lord Griffith, you're such a marvellous person. You act more noble than most nobles that I know, but when you taught me how to play the leaf whistle, you seemed like a innocent child used to playing outside. And just now, when you shared your thoughts, you were like a philosopher... I'm sure your friends are equally fascinated by you. I am certain that this is what attracts them to you."

"They are my precious comrades who have faced death with me many times." Griffith answered back, looking at the full moon in the night sky. "But they are not my friends. A friend is someone who does not cling to another's dream. He decides his own, and will stand against anyone who dares to trample on it with his body and soul. Even if that someone is me. For me, a friend must be someone I can call equal."

Guts was stunned completely hearing those words, who pierced through his heart like a poisoned arrow, as his breath shuddered gently, with Richard noticing it, as he grimaced slightly, before shaking his head slightly.

"...You idiot..." Richard remarked softly. "...If that's what you believe what a friend is... You'll eventually end up with none..."

"What do you mean...?" Casca asked Richard.

"You'll see... Casca." Richard answered back with a grim tone.

"Lord Griffith... the dream you speak of..." Charlotte asked Griffith, before there was the sound of hurried footsteps coming towards the both of them.

"Your Highness!" One of the maids screamed in horror, as she ran towards them. "T-t-terrible! Something terrible has happened! Your uncle... Your Uncle Count Julius has been killed!"

"Ah! How can that be!?" Charlotte asked with disbelief, as Griffith turned his head away, his eyes cast towards the ground.

"He was murdered! An intruder snuck into his mansion, and killed him! Young Master Adonis was found unconscious with him!" The maid blabbered on. "He said that he saw the assassin for himself! The castle is in an uproar! The banquet has been cancelled and His Majesty orders you to return inside at once! The guards will be here to escort you soon. Please, make ready to leave!"

"R-right away." Charlotte agreed, before turning to Griffith. "Lord Griffith... I think that this is where we part ways for tonight..."

"I understand. Be safe, Your Highness." Griffith nodded, before he then left the plaza, after collecting his cape from the fountain edge.

"Shame... Looks like someone had it up to it with that lord." Richard remarked, before he then turned around. "Ah well, such is the intricacies of politics and influence. I guess that Griffith and Charlotte won't be enjoying the rest of the banquet now."

"If it was Chuder's handiwork, there will be war..." Casca stated, before Guts then turned away. "...Guts?"

Guts didn't say anything, as he just slowly walked down the stairs, as Casca watched him with confusion in her eyes.

"Don't bother talking to him now, Casca." Richard advised Casca. "I think that hearing what Griffith said... was a little too hard for him. After all, Griffith did hold him in such high regard, that it could be considered friendship. I guess that theory went up in smoke, thanks to what Griffith truthfully told us."

"...Then why aren't you as mentally hurt as he is?" Casca questioned back, suspicious about Richard's current behaviour.

"Casca, I'm a man who knows how cruel the world could be at times like these, where words are like arrows that seek your heart and pierce it with the pain of a thousand blades." Richard answered back. "Sorry if this offends you, but I don't consider Griffith to be my friend either. After all, I just have the feeling that I can't connect with him to a more personal level. Now I guess I know why, and I'm neither surprised nor betrayed to hear him say that. Either way, I rather just leave it here for the night, and wait for morning to come before we discuss with Griffith."

"Wait, then how did Guts get that wound!?" Casca shouted, as Richard turned and walked away from her.

"You forget that we have our own fair share of knights and nobles that have it in with us with jealousy and bitter envy." Richard reminded Casca. "Turns out one of the guards tried to assassinate us, with a cross-bow. He tried to aim for me, but Guts used his own shoulder to block the arrow. I immediately slew the traitorous man, and threw his corpse where no-one can find him unless they specifically searched for it."

Casca was about to inquire further, although Richard already left by then, as she grunted in slight annoyance.

* * *

_The day after, in a battlefield situated near a wide cliff-side..._

The Band of the Hawk hurried to the battlefield, as they say that both Midland and Chuder forces were already engaging each other. They observed that there was a large forest towards the east-side of where they're facing, which seemed to have an open path to the allied main camp behind them, and in front of them were two large enemy strongholds.

"We will split into two units for this assault! Guts, Raze, you will lead the Raiders and take the other fortress over there, along with Pippin." Griffith ordered his men. "Judeau and Corkus, you will come with me to take the enemy stronghold with me. Casca, you take Rickert with you and patrol the forest over there."

"The forest...? There must be something there!" Rickert commented.

Casca and Rickert immediately moved towards the forest, as Richard then turned to his friends.

"Right then, it seems that we're going to have to split up as well. Gus, Velouria and Elma, follow after Casca and Rickert. If there is an ambush laying in wait over there, then your help will be most needed in order to thwart the enemy stratagem. Not only that, but if we effectively clear the forest, we can turn the ambush into one of our own for the enemy. Anthony, Link, Gunther, join with Griffith's unit and assist his advance. That leaves Virion and Rei with me. The two of you will help me and Guts out on our front." Richard instructed his friends, before turning to Griffith. "Griffith, will this suffice for you?"

"It will. Everyone advance!" Griffith called, as the groups split up to move towards their respective targets.

"Captain! Let's take that fortress before the main unit arrives!" Gaston shouted to Guts.

"Don't worry about that, Gaston." Richard assured the second-in-command of the Raiders. "With your captain, and the four of us, the enemy aren't going to stand much of a chance against us at all."

They soon breached through the front gates of the stronghold, as Virion already nocked his arrows and killed several officers with arrows to the head, while Reimu rushed into the fray, using her reinforced gohei to pummel and smash the enemy into bloody submission, allowing the other mercenaries to easily kill off the stunned enemies for her. Guts and Richard swept through the enemy ranks with ruthlessness, allowing them to quickly take the enemy keep.

Meanwhile, Griffith's unit was doing no less better, as Gunter's own charge with his small squad of lance-riders managed to scatter the enemy ranks, allowing the individual members of the unit to easily pick them off without much difficulty, as Anthony used his speed to slice through the enemies one after the other, and Link slayed many elite soldiers with shield and blade.

"Phew... this is some heated battle." Judeau huffed, as he collected his throwing knives from the corpses of the enemy and the mercenaries started working on getting the gates on the other side of the stronghold open.

And with Gus, Velouria and Elma, they caught up with Casca and Rickert easily, as Velouria easily managed to hear the enemies hiding in the forest.

"I hear a lot of enemies in the forest." Velouria warned the others, as she drew her claws. "Looks like we've managed to find their infiltrators for our main base."

She then slashed her claws down on a large bush, as it cut apart the enemy soldier hidden in it, causing blood to pool out from under it. Their position exposed, the enemy ambush squads revealed themselves and assaulted the five of them.

"Ah! Griffith must have known that there were enemies in the forest!" Rickert exclaimed, as he pulled out his own custom-made cross-bow, using it to puncture the enemy soldiers with a barrage of arrows. As they fought, Casca seemed to have a expression of nausea. "Casca, what's wrong? You don't look so good."

"...Nothing. Don't mind me ... at the time like this..." Casca huffed.

"You sure you're fine?" Elma asked. "You seem like that you're sick. I can heal you if you need it."

"I don't... I'm fine..." Casca responded back, although her voice was slightly strained.

Soon both assault units rushed into the other side of the battlefield from the captured strongholds, as Judeau then turned around and rode for Casca's group. As soon as they were in sight of the central stronghold on their side of the battlefield, they watched as the gates of the stronghold open before them, with a large group of lance knights, clad in teal-blue knight armour with refined lances in their hands, rushing out, a large yellow flag hung above them, their symbol being a blue whale on the centre of the shield crest of the flag.

"Those are..." Gaston remarked.

"The Blue Whales Knights." Griffith stated. "They are considered to be a fairly elite unit of knight cavalry for the Chuder Kingdom."

"I shall engage them. With me, men!" Gunter roared, as his men cried in unison, before they intercepted a squad of Blue Whale knights themselves. The two squads of lance knights clashed with each other. However, Gunter's unit did not seem to take much damage from the enemy charge, while several of the enemy knights were knocked off their knights, or impaled through the lances themselves. "Prepare for the second charge!"

Suddenly, Gunter heard the sound of something whistling through the air, as he saw that there were large rocks being thrown towards the squad of knights, as they evaded away from the rocks, although it managed to strike down three of the knights, leaving them stunned and easy picking for the Chuder soldiers on the field.

"Pippin, the enemy has catapults assaulting us. Can you deal with them?" Griffith asked Pippin.

"Leave it to me." Pippin complied, as he rushed towards the direction of the catapults, as Reimu and Link followed after him to deal with the catapults.

"Doesn't matter what they throw at us, we're not backing down!" Richard shouted. "Guts! Let's see how these whales handle being torn apart by our savage blades!"

Guts nodded, as the two of them rushed through the enemy forces on horse-back, as they cut down the riders from their horses with each strike.

On the other side of the battlefield, Judeau managed to reach Casca's group, as he saw that they already cleared out the forest from enemies. He also saw that Casca was barely keeping herself steady, as her body was shaking.

"Are you alright, Casca!? You should go back to Griffith and take a rest." Judeau told Casca.

"...Fine... I'll leave the rest you and the others." Casca answered back, before she mounted onto her horse, and made her way to Griffith.

"Alright, now that the enemy is cleared... Should we use the time to prepare our own ambush? The enemy might try to use this path to reach our main base." Gus suggested.

"That's true. I'll get the men prepared. You should do the same." Judeau agreed.

"Right...!" Rickert shouted, as the five of them carefully set up their ambush.

When Richard managed to cut through the ranks of the Blue Whale knights, he was then assaulted from the side by the commander of the forces, who was clad in blue cape, and a white plume on his helmet.

"You are too cocky, pal! Don't you know the name of Adon of the Blue Whale Ultra Heavy Armored Fierce Assault Annihilation Knight Corp!?" The commander mocked Richard, who merely scoffed in response.

"And have you heard of the Bloody Stream, Raze?" Richard retorted back. "No? Then you are merely a knight with a death-wish then."

"Why you...!" Adon growled, before he then thrust his trident at Richard, who dodged the attacks, before he then slashed at Adon in retaliation.

The two of them clashed against each other, as their horses ran parallel, as both Midland and Chuder soldiers were absorbed by the fight between the two of them, as the Raiders, the ones who were not engaged in battle, cheered for Richard with a chant. The difference of skill between the both of them grew apparent as time passed, as Richard forced Adon on the defensive, and even then, Richard was connecting his blades against his armour.

"He's... he's strong..." Adon stammered, before Richard shifted his horse to the side, before he then swiped across, sliding his blade across Adon's body, as he groaned, as the blade managed to slice through his heavy armour, although it didn't hit his body. "I will let you win this time, kid! Nuahaha!"

Adon then turned to flee, as Richard growled. "Coward! Stand your ground and finish your fight!" Richard cursed Adon, as he galloped after him. However, several Blue Whale knights came towards Richard from various directions, as he was forced to halt and defend against each of the charges, countering with strikes. By the time he managed to take out the attackers, Adon was long gone.

"Guts...! He's hiding inside! Go after him!" Griffith shouted to Guts, who sprinted for the remaining enemy-occupied stronghold, as Gunter and Virion followed after him.

While Guts made his way to the enemy stronghold, the ambush group led by Judeau watched as the main unit of the Midland Army arrived, as they advanced to join the melee on the other side of the battlefield. After a few moments, they spotted Adon leading a large group of soldiers through the forest.

"Nuahaha! We'll bait the enemy into thinking I'm in that stronghold!" Adon gloated, as his men proceeded through the forest. "While they're idiotically occupied with our decoy, we'll take their main force!"

"Should we spring the trap on them now?" Gus whispered to Judeau, who was next to him.

"No... Wait until they've believed that their plan has succeeded." Judeau responded back.

Adon and his men soon arrived at the allied main base, as they raided it without being detected, as the main camp was captured by Adon. At the same time, Guts and his companions managed to break into the enemy stronghold, as they found that the enemy presence was scarce within the castle.

"Damn... They've played us like fools...!" Virion cursed.

"Then if they're using this stronghold as a lure for us... Then..." Gunter deduced, as his head turned towards the open gate on the other side, which was connected to the forest. "...Hopefully that Casca has managed to set our own ambush for the devious general."

"Hahaha! You fell for it, you idiots!" Adon mocked the Midland forces on the battlefield. "I, Adon, have taken your main force!"

"You're too naive, you fools!" Judeau roared, as the allied ambush troops sprung out of hiding, rushing towards the recently-taken main camp for reclaimation.

"Griffith has predicted everything!" Rickert shouted, as he shot down a part of the enemy vanguard while he advanced on horse-back.

"Looks like you must be incompetent to try and think that the forest isn't your enemy in this case...!" Velouria darkly remarked with a malicious grin on her face. "Now then, time to DIE!"

"Whaatt...!? Ambush by Midland!?" Adon shouted in shock. "I don't have time to waste with several brats like you! We are the Blue Whale Ultra Heavy Armored Fierce Assault Annihilation Knight Corp! Don't let them take back the camp!"

"Running again...!?" Velouria growled, before she then lunged towards Adon from above. "NOT ON MY WATCH, YOU ANNOYING BASTARD!"

Adon let out a cry, as he swung his lance right into Velouria, as it knocked her flying back, as she bounced off the ground several times.

"Mwahaha, that's what a woman like you deserves for playing at being a knight!" Adon taunted, before he then turned to leave. "I'll come and claim your head next time we meet!"

"Damn bastard..." Velouria groaned, before Elma moved over to her, and slowly healed her wound from the attack.

As Guts turned back to wipe out the rest of the enemy forces, he saw Adon just far up ahead, as he was engaging Casca, who was backed onto the edge of the cliffside. He growled, before he then whipped his own horse into full speed, as he moved to Casca's rescue.

"A battlefield is a sacred ground for men!" Adon declared, before he then spun his trident above him. "Your presence desecrates it! I, Adon, of the Blue Whale Ultra Heavy Armored Fierce Assault Annihilation Knight Corp shall teach you the folly of your actions!"

Casca immediately readied a defensive stance, as she blocked each of Adon's thrusts, although doing so brought her closer towards the edge, before her feet were almost off the edge of the cliff-side, as she quickly balanced herself.

"What? Is that it?" Adon mocked, before he pointed his trident at her. "How could someone like you command a thousand men? The Band of the Hawk must have been scraping the bottom of the barrel."

Casca growled with fury to that comment. "On second thoughts, you are quite attractive. I might even forgive you, if you come back with me to Chuder. What do you say?" Adon continued. "I'll put a thousand men under you. A thousand of Chuder soldiers to comfort at night! Ahahaha!"

"Son of a bitch! I'd sooner die than be touched by filthy men like you!" Casca spat in defiance.

"No?" Adon replied back, before he pulled back his trident. "THEN DIE!"

Before Adon could manage to knock Casca over the edge, he was immediately knocked off horse-back by Gunter's lance, as the black-clad knight turned to him, with a expression of hate, which was a match to Gunter's own expression of disdain.

"Casca... I will take care of this dishonourable bastard here." Gunter stated, before he rose his lance. "Just make sure you do not fall off the cliff."

"R-Right..." Casca stated, as Adon scrambled back onto his horse.

"So many of you come to challenge me. Do you truly desire a taste of my spear that much!?" Adon snarled. "Fine, I, Adon, will take you on!"

"You will do no such thing, **coward.**" Gunter stated, emphasising the word with sheer venom. "A dishonourable knight like you is a stain upon the name of generals and knights. Today, you won't escape death."

"Shut up! That time, I just didn't give it my all against the kid!" Adon screamed back. "What can a shrivelled-up old man like you can do to me, the commander of the Blue Whale Ultra Heavy Armored Fierce Assault Annihilation Knight Corp!?"

"More than you would delude yourself with." Gunter coldly retorted back, before he then charged at Adon.

The two of them immediately clashed against each other, as Adon found himself being easily done in by Gunter, who skillfully evaded and parried each of his attacks, as the veteran knight's lance punched hole after hole through his armour, forcing him back with each strike, before Gunter then struck him on the helm with his lance, causing the arrogant general to stagger back on his horse.

"Hm! You have managed to force me into such a position! But that is as far as it goes!" Adon roared, as he then spun his lance around. "My ultimate spear technique has been passed down through the Coborlwitz family for over 140 years! It's my ultimate secret weapon!"

He then slowly approached him, as his spear was still spinning in his arms. "Eat this! Ganzansenpu-" Adon declared, before Gunter lowered his lance slightly down and slightly back.

And then within a blink of an eye, Gunter thrust his lance right towards Adon's head, with such force that the lance's blade speared through the visor of the helmet, as it punctured through Adon's right eye, as well as knocking him flying off the horse, as his helmet bounced off his head, and blood split down on the path of his flight, while he screamed in agony. When he came to a stop, he was belly-first on the ground, clutching his cleaved eye with a hand, still in agony.

"You are a disgrace beyond even my own standards." Gunter remarked, before he then turned his horse away, and trotted away. "Killing you would be a mercy. Live with the disgrace of being a dishonourable failure."

The surrounding members of the Band of the Hawk immediately cheered in response, as Richard gave Gunter a thumbs-up.

"Good one, Gunther! You gave that cocky bastard what he deserved!" Richard praised his companion.

Guts then moved over to where Casca was, as she was eerily still, panting slightly. "What's wrong? This isn't like you." Guts asked her. "You need to focus..."

Casca then fainted on the spot, as she slowly fell backwards, over the cliff, as her sword slipped from her grasp and dropped down into the river below her. Guts reacted quickly, as he caught her with one hand. "H-Hey! Casca!" He shouted to her. "Hey! Snap out of it...!"

Suddenly, Guts felt a arrow penetrate through his thigh, as the force of the attack caused him to fall off his horse, as he saw the arrow in his thigh. Adon cried in joy, as he held a hand-sized cross-bow in his hands.

"I got him! I got him-" Adon repeated, before he then saw a enraged Richard looming over him. "Eh...?"

"Damn you...! YOU BASTARD!" Richard yelled, as he then slammed both blades right through Adon's head, killing him instantly, as the dead body of the general slumped to the ground, with a expression of confusion frozen on it.

Guts then slipped from his horse, as he and Casca fell from the cliff, with him screaming, as everyone moved over to the edge, watching them fall into the river below with big splashes.

"Big sis!" One of Casca's men shouted.

"Captain!" Gaston cried.

"Guts!" Judeau exclaimed.

"GUTS!" Richard called out with emotion, before he turned to Griffith. "Griffith...! Guts and Casca... There's a river below them. They might have survived the fall if the river is deep enough!"

"...I know." Griffith nodded.

"Then we need to find them immediately!" Judeau shouted. "The enemy could be looking for them below!"

"We need to find them before night breaks." Gus stated. "Is there any way to get down below?"

"Not without taking a overly long detour..." One of the mercenaries answered the question.

"Damnit..." Richard cursed, as the Band of the Hawk immediately left the battlefield. "Guts... I hope that you're still alive, because hell will come if you don't make it..."

* * *

_After reaching the area below through the detour..._

The group found themselves in a forest, as the group searched the entire forest, taking out any enemy pursuers that they could find. Richard was sprinting around the entire forest area, hoping to find a river that he could use to help trace the possible location of both Guts and Casca.

"Damn it... Could they have..." Richard muttered, before he shook his head fiercely. "No... Guts won't die that easily. He's the Struggler... He's so close to death that it would take more than conventional means to actually kill him. But Casca... I worry about her safety at this point."

Gus was in another area, as he had Judeau with him. When they moved in the opposite direction that Richard was searching, they soon encountered Casca, who was running towards them, as she was panting.

"Casca! You're alive!" Gus shouted. "Where's Guts!?"

"He's been surrounded by the entirety of the Blue Whales pursuit unit!" Casca yelled back. "Hurry please! He won't last long against that many men!"

"Hold on, I'll get Raze!" Gus called out, before he then rushed to where Richard was. "Raze! We managed to find Casca, she knows where Guts is!"

"Really!?" Richard shouted back, before he then made his way back to Casca, before pulling her onto his horse. "Alright, tell me which way you two came from! I'll get you there as quickly as possible! Everyone, follow my lead!"

Casca then pointed out the way for the group, as they soon reached a large clearing, where they saw dead bodies of the knights in pursuit, all over the area.

"Answer me! Guts! Where are you!?" Griffith cried out into the vicinity.

Richard then leapt down from his horse, as he moved towards where he guessed would be the spot where the most corpses were, as he found it, and on top of it all, was Guts, who was holding his blade in his arms, and leaning back against a tree, with fresh wounds on him, and his eyes closed. Richard slowly approached him, before he then placed a hand near Gut's mouth, to check for breathing. After a few tense moments, he could feel it faintly, making him relieved.

"I've found Guts! He's still very much alive! Although he's wounded, he's still standing and breathing as we speak!" Richard shouted as everyone rushed over to where they were. After everyone was gathered, he signalled for Elma to heal him with her magic, before he then walked close up to him, and gently slapped his cheeks. "Wake up, Guts. Your rescue is here..."

"Heh... A bit too late, don't you think?" Guts groaned back, as he slowly stood back up, and opened his eyes.

"Guts..." Casca muttered with a slightly teary voice, before she then ran over, and buried her head in his chest.

Griffith then walked over, as Guts smiled at him, although he was covered in the blood of both himself and the enemy. In response, Griffith smiled back, while Richard placed a hand on Guts's shoulder.

"I guess that you're the only person who fought more than a hundred men at once, and lived to tell the tale. Not to mention that your limbs are all accounted for." Richard answered back. "Talk about smashing Bazuso's little record for yourself. I'm sure that no-one going to top this one for centuries to come."

"Well then..." Judeau smiled. "Looks like the Band of the Hawk has 'Guts' to slay a hundred men at once!"

Everyone cheered in response, as Richard chuckled slightly. "Looks like you've just made yourself much more important to the Band of the Hawk after that miracle, heh heh." Richard remarked.

At that statement, Guts's smile dropped, as he looked at Richard with a conflicted expression. After a few moments, Richard understood what made him lose the smile, as he stopped chuckling and smiling immediately, before then hefting the slightly weak Guts over his shoulder.

"Alright now, just because you have Elma healing your wounds, doesn't mean you're all fine. You need to rest and let your body recover from the strain." Richard advised Guts, who nodded back.

* * *

_In the night, at the campfire..._

"Guts... How are your injuries...?" Casca asked Guts, who was with Richard, as the three of them were sitting around a crackling campfire.

"It's not something you should worry about. Compared to what you're doing... me fighting a hundred men, it doesn't really matter." Guts responded back.

"What do you mean?" Casca inquired Guts.

"It ain't just you. Griffith's the same way. You've both got something you'd bet your entire life on." Guts answered back. "But for me... If I go and fight a hundred or a thousand men, it's not really a big deal. That's what I thought. Everyone here has their own dreams, little flames that would scatter if you blew on them. And they brought them here together, to throw themselves into the biggest bonfire, the inferno that is Griffith. But... my flame... my dream isn't here. As for me, maybe I'm just warming myself by that campfire for a bit."

"Guts..." Casca muttered with a sympathetic tone in her voice.

"I was on the battlefield before I was old enough to understand things. The mercenary who raised me taught me nothing beyond how to wield a sword." Guts continued. "Just because I didn't want to die... Just because I didn't know anything else but how to swing my sword around... I keep fighting. And I have always left the most important part, the part that is called the reason to fight, for other people to decide for me."

"Guts, you..." Casca said, before Guts stood up suddenly, and she did the same. "Guts... you don't mean...! Don't tell me you're planning to leave the Band of the Hawk...?'

Guts didn't answer back, as he slowly left the camp-fire. "Oi, Guts... Answer me!" Casca shouted, before she sat back down. "Damn..."

"To be fair... Casca..." Richard answered back. "I sort of feel the same as well... I believe that I've done enough for the Band of the Hawks. It's time that the Bloody Stream that the Band of the Hawk has followed and traced... to fade away and let them decide their own path from now on."

"What...? Why? Why would you want to leave Griffith's service?" Casca asked.

"...If I told you the reason, would you believe it, no matter how absurd it will be?" Richard asked solemnly in response.

Casca nodded back, as Richard sucked in a deep breath. "Alright then, I'll tell you, and this is no jest." Richard answered back. "I leave Griffith and the Band of the Hawk for two reasons. One regards my own, and one regards my friends. The first is that I must leave, lest the Band of the Hawk rest on their laurels, because of the breadwinners that are me and Guts, that slaughter adversity with a mere wave of our blades. Surely, you can understand the logic behind that, right?

Casca shook her head strongly, as Richard glared at her. "Don't lie, Casca." Richard scolded her. "You know that Griffith has gotten a little too attached to me and Guts in particular. After all, we are the harbingers of death that are under his command. He throws us in any difficult situation, and it gets automatically resolved with minimal losses and causalities on our side. As the saying goes, 'Pride goeth before the fall'. If Griffith continues to rely on us, we will merely become his crutches. Can you say that if we were to be lost, that Griffith would be able to recover from it, if we stayed for so long? Answer me truthfully, Casca."

"...No." Casca gave her answer, although with reluctance in her voice.

"That's right." Richard nodded. "Which is why I will sever my ties from him, until his reliance on me fades away. I never said that I would be permanently gone, just only long enough for him to realise that the Band of the Hawk is not defined by him and us alone. But also you, Rickert, Pippin, Judeau and although I dislike to admit, Corkus as well. Only through this way, will the Band of the Hawk will remain a prospering and legendary band. Of course, there is a alternative solution, and that is to cure his obsession of us. But you know how impossible that seems at first glance, and things only get harder when you delve deeper into these matters."

"...And the second reason?" Casca asked again, giving a slight pause.

"The second reason... is that I'm leaving my group under your care." Richard answered back. "I will travel alone, or with Guts. And the justification for that, is because I trust the Band of the Hawk to take care of them in my stead."

"...Why would you abandon your companions...?" Casca questioned Richard, as her tone turned slightly bitter, although she did her best to swallow her emotions and keep calm in asking her question.

"...Of course, that seems very scum-like, something you would not expect from a well-meaning and friendly warrior like myself." Richard answered back, as he shook his head. "However, I do this to protect them, not because I can't bear to be with them. The fights I get myself into are dangerous and cruel, and my friends stand to be threatened under these circumstances. I simply don't trust myself to ensure their safety. But after seeing you all for three years, you've proven that you would be able to do what I could not. After all, Gus told me that you chewed Guts for the reckless charge back when we first spread our name to the King of Midland in that battle. And I'm no different."

Casca slightly lowered her head in shame, as Richard frowned. "Chin up, Casca. You're not truly in the wrong. You had your own opinion about the matter, and everyone deserves to respect it." Richard tried to comfort her. "Either way, this is my choice, due to everything I have seen. I don't want my dear Elma to be harmed because of my own recklessness. I don't want my close friend, Gus to have to suffer because I am stubborn. I don't want Rei of all people to be the one to pay for my foolishness. So I leave them in your care, as you are more capable than me, despite everything."

Casca was silent at this point, as Richard slowly got up. "Well, although it won't be long, I'd say that the next time we enter a major battle, it would be likely almost time for the both of us to depart from the band." He told Casca. "Once I leave... Never forget that I will never break my promise to return to the band. And never forget that I trust you and the band with the lives of my friends. Do not disappoint that trust, because a knight always honours and keeps their word."

He then walked away from the camp-fire, as Casca let her tears flow from her cheeks, as she was in sorrow, because of the fact that her own emotions were in turmoil, after hearing about the depressing news from both Guts and Richard.


	5. Chapter 4

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 4: The Fall of Doldrey, and a Unexpected Encounter

* * *

_In the main camp of the Band of the Hawk..._

"The next battle has been decided! The Band of the Hawk is to capture Doldrey!" Rickert cried out to the gathered mercenaries.

"Doldrey!?" Corkus exclaimed with disbelief. "Countless distinguished Commanders and great Generals have tried to take it, and none of them were able to recapture it. It's impenetrable!"

"It seems that news travelled far that the White Tiger Knights have been wiped out already in the latest attempt." Judeau added.

"Hey-hey! They pushed some impossible job on us again-" Corkus complained, before he found his neck being crushed under Reimu's grip. "Gah! Ack... ack...!"

"Stop being such a damn downer. We've survived through everything we went through so far." Reimu growled. "So stop trying to plummet the morale of the group with your wailing."

"Besides, I bet Griffith volunteered us in this one." Richard answered back. "But then again, if we succeed, there is no telling how much renown and respect we will gain from the people of Midland if we succeed. After all, it's a definite ticket to nobility, doesn't it?"

"Hwahhhhh!?" Corkus blubbered, as Reimu immediately let him go.

"That's going to be one big battle. But don't sweat it. The Mr. Calm-and-Composed decided it himself, right...?" Guts asked Casca.

"...I just hope that he stays calm and composed." Casca stated. "One time, the Hawks became involved in a certain feudal lord's territorial dispute. He was a wealthy man, but mostly famous for his sordid tastes... He would gather any young boy that caught his eye, and make them his pages. The eyes of each of them were empty of everything but fear."

"Woah, that sounds pretty messed up..." Antonio remarked. "You don't mean..."

Gus immediately gestured for Antonio not to speak his mind, as the humanised hedgehog silenced himself quickly.

"One night, I accidentally saw them... Griffith with that man." Casca continued.

"You're kidding, right?" Guts asked with slight disbelief. "That man who's like a ball of pride?"

"Griffith will do anything for victory. It is his way of atoning for the people who die for him." Casca answered back.

"That's... Why did you bring this up now?" Guts muttered.

"The nobleman I mentioned used his riches to become Supreme Commander on the front-lines for a certain Empire." Casca responded back.

"Hey, don't tell me..." Guts started.

"Governor-General Gennon, Supreme Commander of the Chuder Empire's Northern Battlefront. That's his current title." Casca finished his sentence.

Soon, Griffith met up with the group, as he was already clad in his armour.

"Now then, it is time for us to march for Doldrey." Griffith stated. "Have the men prepared?"

"Almost done." Link answered back. "We'll be ready to march by the hour."

* * *

_At the battlefield, before the stronghold of Doldrey..._

The Band of the Hawk formed up on the battlefield, as they were fairly close to the cliff-side that was behind them, and surrounding them was a large battlefield, that had many enemy garrisons scattered before them, as they barred the path to the large castle that was the main enemy stronghold before them. The entire field was completely barren and dry.

"Damn it... How are we even supposed to attack that?" One of the mercenaries near the leading group asked.

"The back of it is a cliff. They've got about 20 of the newest catapults. On top of that, there will be arrows, hot oil and rocks from above." Judeau listed off the defences that they'd encounter in the battle just ahead of them. "We have no choice but to attack the front gate directly for an effective assault."

"And that's where the Holy Purple Rhino Knights are, right?" Rickert asked.

"We can win, can't we, Captain?" Gaston asked Guts, who was watching the wavering flag of the band above him, his mind occupied on his intended departure from the band.

"Guts...?" Rickert asked, as it snapped Guts out of his thoughts. He then turned his head towards the others.

"The fortress is a little big, so what?" Guts answered back bluntly, as he moved his horse forward, stopping beside Richard and Griffith. "Nothing is different. Just do what Griffith says and it will be ours. Right?"

Guts then turned to Griffith, as the white-clad leader smiled back at him, and Guts gave off a faint one as well. Richard then looked forward, as he could make out the flags of the Chuder forces ahead of them, as well as being able to spot out the emblem of the Holy Purple Rhino Knights ahead of him, which was a purple rhino head with a purple lance facing the same direction it was, underneath it.

"Say, Guts... Looks like this men look like that they're much more capable than the disappointments that the Blue Whales were." Richard remarked. "You think that we'll be able to handle them together?"

Guts merely drew his blade in response, as Richard smiled, doing the same. "Thought so." Richard answered back, before turning to Griffith beside him. "Alright, Griffith, we're ready to kick off this battle and make history by doing the impossible."

"Very well." Griffith replied back, before he then turned around, and started to sweep through his troops, raising his blade and barking out commands. "Vanguard, advance! Draw!"

A part of the mercenary band immediately went forth on horse-back, as the archers and crossbowmen prepared their own weapons for battle. Everyone immediately drew their weapons as well, before Griffith came to a halt before the gathered group of officers.

"Vanguard... CHARGE!" Griffith roared, as the front-lines of the band charged forth. In response, the Chuder forces also sent forth their own forces, as their advance guard moved to intercept the allied vanguard.

As Guts kept his distance in the battle, he saw Richard come up to him. "Say, Guts..." Richard told him. "Since this is going to be the last battle that we're going to be fighting together, how about we make this a memorable occasion with a wager."

"What is it?" Guts asked back.

"Whoever claims the head of the leader of the Holy Purple Rhino Knights first." Richard responded back. "I heard that the guy leading them is a far more better challenge than that bastard Adon. And he's the closest that you could get compared to the likes of Zodd, well, at least before he turned into a monster. I believe that taking him out will significantly crush enemy morale, making it much more easier to earn victory in this battle. By the way, Link's joining in as well, but he won't get any help from me. So, you in or you out? If you're leaving the band, then you gotta go out with a legendary feat like that, right?"

"...Yeah." Guts smiled back. "I'm game."

"Right then... May the best warrior win!" Richard laughed, before the two of them separated, as they charged through their own line of assault.

"First unit, crush the enemy front lines!" Griffith ordered.

"Look at these numbers... will this really be alright?" Corkus asked with hesitation in his voice.

"It's best not to think about these things, Corkus." Antonio told Corkus. "After all, you already been quite a downer back then, so just trust in all of us to get the job done."

Guts then continued along, as he found Link cutting through an enemy garrison, as the blonde-haired warrior turned around to address him.

"Guts! I believe that Raze might have pulled you into a wager." Link called out. "I wish you luck on trying to beat him. He's quite devoted to winning his own wagers, so I do believe that you should hurry and try to reach the enemy before he does."

"Hm." Guts grunted, before he then turned and rushed through another location in the enemy front-lines. "This is probably the last time I'm going to swing my sword under this banner, and the last time that I'll ever be with Raze... But I will do this right, and show Raze the respect he deserves by giving it my all, both as the Captain of the Raiders of the Band of the Hawk, and as his comrade in battle."

As Richard smashed through the enemy garrison, he soon met up with Virion, who was taking out enemies from horse-back, as Richard cleaved through any soldiers that were unfortunate to be in his path. However, during his assault on the next line of enemy defences, he soon saw that the garrison gates ahead of him opened, as the Holy Purple Rhino Knights poured out of the gates, as the charge was led by a man wearing a black helmet shaped like a rhino's head, with horns on his shoulders and the sides of his black horse, and wielding a long and wide-bladed pole-axe in his hands. He used his weapon efficiently, cutting open the mercenary knights ahead of him.

"The enemies are few!" He roared, as his men immediately charged through the Hawk vanguard with great momentum and force. "Crush them before they can come up with any tricks!"

"Virion..." Richard turned to his archer companion.

"Say no more, I'll thin the enemy numbers. I can see that this man is quite formidable. Which makes it much more significant to defeat him lest the enemy rally under his command." Virion responded back, before he then charged forth.

Virion then quickly fired arrow after arrow into the squad of knight elites, as they manage to take out several of the knights. However, when he tried to shoot the commander of the knights, he found that the commander reacted excellently to each attack he receive, turning himself and his horse to ensure what arrows that managed to hit, connected at the most-reinforced points of his armour, as the arrows barely dented the armour with each shot.

"Tch... This man is truly formidable in his own right." Virion stated, before he then turned around to flee from the commander who targeted him instead. "I cannot fight him in close-combat, or my death will be swift..."

As Virion retreated, Richard moved forward to assist Virion's retreat, as he cut through the Holy Purple Rhino Knights that tried to intercept the retreating archer, before he then moved alongside Virion.

"Raze... Why aren't you advancing to challenge him...?" Virion asked Richard.

"Not the time for it. I cannot let myself get too popular by hogging the feats to myself." Richard answered back. "Besides, your safety takes priority over his defeat right now."

"I understand." Virion nodded, as the two of them fell back to the nearest garrison that they have captured. At the same time, Gunter immediately did a charge of his own against the Holy Purple Rhino Knights, as he managed to cut through them and reach the enemy general that was leading them. The enemy leader turned his head to face Gunter.

"Oh, I see that some of them are heading this way..." The enemy general remarked, as he moved his horse around. "Hm, it seems that I am right before the one who struck down the general of the Blue Whale Knights, Adon Coborlwitz. My men say that the battle between him and you could be considered a mere child against a master."

"Indeed, I have struck that foul bastard down." Gunter responded back. "I am Gunther Blackmire, and I have come as the lance cavalry leader of the Band of the Hawk."

"So you are the Riding Demon that the men of Chuder are fearful about." The commander responded back, before he then readied his pole-axe. "Very well, you face General Boscogn of the Holy Purple Rhino Knights."

"It would be an honour to face you. I simply hope that you will not be the same as that unworthy cur, Adon." Gunter answered back with a respectful tone. "Now then, let us battle."

The two veteran knights immediately clashed with each other, as the two of them exchanged blows, each of them scoring blows against the armour of each other, but with neither of them slowing down the slightest, nor their blows weakening. Their armour began to buckle and break under each other's attacks for so long, and yet neither of their blows drew blood.

"Holy... Someone is able to fight even with General Boscogn...!?" One of the Holy Purple Rhino Knights exclaimed with shock.

"General Boscogn has never been able to encounter someone who could last so long, let alone be able to fight at the same pace and strength as he does...!" Another one remarked.

After a few hundred bouts between both knights, they separated from each other, as their armour was in rough shape. Gunter then watched as Boscogn then slowly turned his horse around.

"It seems that you have some good men, Hawk." Boscogn stated. "Gunther, I must apologise for cutting this duel short. But I think that I will fall back for now. If you are still alive by the time I charge forth once again, we will finish this soon."

Gunter didn't respond back, as Boscogn moved away, as the remaining Holy Purple Rhino Knights retreated with him. Gunter then surveyed the damage on his armour, before he then rushed back to the garrison, where Richard and Virion were slowly resting to recover their strength.

Meanwhile, on another section of the battlefield, Guts cut down the last of the enemy vanguard that was ahead of him, with the help of Antonio and Gus. And almost suddenly, another large wave of enemy soldiers charged towards his gathered Raiders and the other mercenary squads, as he growled in frustration.

"The enemy isn't shaken at all... Now'd be a good time, boss!" Guts grumbled under his breath, before he then heard a loud horn bellowing through the entire battlefield, as Guts was aware that the horn was a signal for the next phase of their plan.

"A full retreat of the vanguard..." Gus remarked. "...Hopefully the enemy would be coerced into pursuit."

"Well, we sure seen our share of enemy generals, and they're all prideful, thinking that they can crush anything that we throw at them." Antonio smirked. "Ah, well, I think I have a good idea what's the cliff for."

"Yes, but first, we need to ensure that our retreat comes with minimal causalities possible, in order to ensure the success of the next step." Gus responded back, as the three of them immediately supported the retreat of the other members of the band. Guts rejoined with Griffith, who was leading his men back towards where the rear unit was, as Richard, Gunter, Virion and Link joined the retreat shortly after.

As the group managed to get clear of the enemy defences, they watched as the fortress gates opened, as a large swarm of enemy knights rushed forth, as the rest of the Chuder army present joined the pursuit. Guts could see that Griffith was smirking at the situation, before he then saw the same smirk on Richard's face.

Corkus watched the massive Chuder army approaching them, as he chuckled awkwardly. "Are we supposed to take on all of them? Are we...?" He asked with a slightly fearful tone.

"Do not fear." Corrin answered back. "We may not have the numbers to match against theirs, but we are much more experienced, and our overall morale remains steadfast even before the face of adversity."

"Well, the bigger they look... The easier it is to scatter them when we cut the head of their assault." Velouria remarked with a wild grin.

As Griffith came up to the other unit, he then barked out his next order. "Take formation!" Griffith declared. "Our backs are to the river! Retreat is not an option! Lay down your lives on this fight, there is no other way to survive! We survive and we will win!"

Meiling watched Griffith speak, as she nodded with understanding. "A familiar scene." She muttered to herself. "It seems that Griffith is aware of the uses of one of the famous tactics of war... To invoke desperation into his men by ensuring that they will not be able to retreat, even if they wished. It is a fight or win battle... And with them willing to go through the enemy to live another day... The enemy will be facing a army that will go beyond their normal limits for their own lives."

"Listen, all of you!" Richard roared, as he and Guts trailed behind Griffith, who was sweeping through the troops. "We are the White Hawk! We are the ones who will strike the enemy with such force, like a majestic hawk striking its prey from the skies with both power and cunning! But we are not defined in only our strength, but our tenacity and will! No matter the enemy, we will fight to the last man, and we will win at all costs! The enemy may sever our claws as much as they wish, but we will ensure that they will gash the enemy until they die bleeding! The enemy may break our beaks, but we will tear their eyes and leave them blind to our clever plans! The enemy may clip our wings, but we will still tear them even without the skies to our advantage! And what the enemy doesn't know, is that they may take our lives, and try to shatter our honour and pride, but they will never... SHATTER OUR WILL TO FIGHT AND SOAR THROUGH THE SKIES ETERNALLY!"

Everyone immediately hollered in agreement at Richard's speech, as Griffith gave Richard a grateful smile that he returned. As Griffith and his small band of captains turned around, the entire band moved as one, as they roared in collective determination, in order to strike through the enemy and win at even these crushing odds.

"Seriously, Raze...? I bet that you adapted that speech from a certain movie..." Gus remarked with a fake disappointed expression. "But it worked quite well."

"Adapting King Leonida's speech and tacking on some appropriate and symbolic quotes does wonders to one's morale, if executed properly." Richard smirked back. "By the way, have you noticed a particular someone missing from our little group of friends...?"

"...Wait, Reimu's not here... And neither is Casca..." Gus stated, before he realised that there was another element of the plan. "Could it be...!?"

"You know, Griffith expected that the enemy would want a full pursuit of the enemy, which means all significant forces are to move out and clash with us. So that means..." Richard stated.

* * *

_Inside Doldrey Fortress..._

Casca and Reimu soon managed to reach the back of the fortress, through a long winding path, as they found the rear gates of the castle fairly unguarded, save for a small handful of soldiers.

"We will enter the fortress from here... Everything is just as Griffith said..." Casca stated.

"So if we crush the enemy here, and take their fortress, then it'll be quite the crushing blow to them, right...?" Reimu asked Casca.

"Yes." Casca responded back, before she drew her blade, as she and Reimu ambushed the guards.

"What the, the Band of the Hawk here...!? Alert the men-" One of the guards called out, before Casca beheaded him before he could finish his sentence, as Reimu took out the enemies with her gohei, as several members of the infiltration party killed the unconscious guards, before they could recover.

"Huh... Not much killing power in this..." Reimu stated, as she examined her gohei, which was still pristine, even through all the battles she fought with it.

"You could use my blade." One of the squadmates remarked, offering his blade to Reimu.

"Nah, I'm not as good with blades as most of my group is." Reimu shook her head. "Besides, it's got quite the blunt force on it. Besides, knocking them out is easier than killing them while they're still standing, right...?"

When Reimu threw the gates open, she was met by the sight of a bulky guard commander before her.

"Heh heh, you think that it's going to be this easy to take Doldrey. When I capture you, you'll make a pretty good-" The guard commander cackled, before Reimu turned to him, before she raised her gohei.

She then swung it with great force, that she pulverised the legs of the guard commander, forcing to kneel in agony, before Reimu then walked up to him, and kicked it with as much force as she could muster, as the face of the guard commander was crushed inside of his helmet, as he twitched involuntary, and blood pooled under his head.

"Hmph..." Reimu remarked. "Nothing much of a problem. Come on, all of you.."

* * *

_Back outside the front of Doldrey Fortress.._

As Richard and Guts tore through the enemy forces separately, as they were both determined to take out Boscogn for themselves. However, Link opted instead to passing through the enemy forces, rather than engaging them, although he did stop several times to assist his allies. When he looked back, he could see Richard and Guts kicking up a storm of dust and blood around each of them, as enemies fell wherever they went.

He soon managed to reach Boscogn, who was surrounded by his Holy Purple Rhino Knights. As they attacked him together, Link defended against each strike aimed at him, as he countered with his own blade, slowly cutting through Boscogn's own knight guards, before he then did a Spin Slash that took out the remaining enemies surrounding him, leaving him and Boscogn the only ones alive and standing in the vicinity.

"To use both shield and sword so well, even though it may be disadvantageous against the spears that most of my guard wield." Boscogn remarked about Link's skill. "Who are you, warrior of green?"

"My name is Link Hylia, Guardian Knight of the Band of the Hawk, and renowned hero of far lands." Links answered back stoically.

"Very well, you face General Boscogn of the Holy Purple Rhino Knights. Your comrade Gunther has managed to force me to retreat. So I expect to see the same level of skill from one of his comrades." Boscogn stated. "If you are capable, then slay me in battle if you can."

Link and Boscogn clashed against each other, as the Band of the Hawk surged forth around the large garrison that the two combatants were duelling inside of, as Guts caught a glimpse of Link fighting against Boscogn, as he snorted slightly, before then targeting another group of Holy Purple Rhino Knights, in a effort to lower their numbers and weaken the enemy force even further.

Link used his own shield to defend and bounce Boscogn's pole-axe off him, while using his blade to strike. Boscogn countered by using the long pole of his weapon to block each slash, as the pole didn't seem to break under the attacks he did. The two of them were effectively locked in a stalemate, as neither of them could land a direct blow against each other for a while.

However, when Boscogn switched up tactics, as he thrust his pole-axe towards Link, who blocked it with his shield predictably, he then raised his horse, and slammed the hooves of his horse right down on Link's horse, causing to be knocked down onto the ground, as Link was thrown off it. He rolled away to avoid a swing from Boscogn's pole-axe, before using his shield to block another. However, Boscogn swung his pole-axe ferociously, forcing Link to defensively parry and block the swings, as they backed him into a corner. Boscogn then raised his pole-axe, ready to deal the final blow.

"This ends now. You have fought well as a warrior against me, but you have been forced into a corner." Boscogn stated. "I will let your men know that you have fought to the last breath with honour and respect befitting of a royal knight."

Link didn't respond, as he then charged himself up. Boscogn then swung his pole-axe down towards Link's head. However, at the same time, Link used both his shield and sword in tandem to slam the weapon away in a seemingly-desperate measure, stunning Boscogn slightly, as he struggled to recover his stance. However, Link then jumped up, and cut through the head of Boscogn's horse, causing it to fall to the side, dead, and throwing off the Chuder general. Before the Chuder General could get up to his feet, Link jumped onto him, and stabbed his blade down into Boscogn's chest, stopping the general still, as he slumped down, defeated, as he began to gasp and groan in mortal pain.

"It seems that my own pride has finally resulted in my own demise..." Boscogn wheezed, as he slowly raised his armoured hands towards his helmet. "Young Link, may I ask that you grant me one final request?"

"...Speak." Link responded back.

"I ask that you take my helmet, as a trophy for my defeat" Boscogn stated, before he then coughed, as blood poured from under his helmet. "I have no use of it, now that I know my wound to be fatal. I see that there are many prominent warriors within the Band of the Hawk. One who managed to become the nightmare of the Chuder Forces, and one who managed to slay an entire unit of Blue Whale Knights on their lonesome. I see that this war is well in the favour of Midland, thanks to the existence of such a miraculous band like you."

"...Very well..." Link answered back, as he took the helmet, as it revealed a slightly old and bald man underneath the helm. "You fought well, General Boscogn. It was an honour being able to fight against you."

"Such honour..." Boscogn smiled, as his voice slowly faded away. "...is not befitting of a wretched man like me..."

Boscogn then passed away, as his hands fell, and the blood pooled under his armour. Link wrenched his blade free, as he walked away, with the general's helmet in his hands. He then joined up with the rest of the mercenary unit, as they managed to rush up to the frontlines with Guts and Richard, who were fighting right before the enemy commander, which was a man dressed like a wealthy general, with thick black and golden armour.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing, Boscogn! Why haven't you captured Griffith yet...!?" The commander complained, as he cut down several Hawk mercenaries that tried to attack him.

"General Boscogn of the Holy Purple Rhino Knights... has been slain in battle." Link declared, as the fighting in the vicinity stopped, as he raised the still-bloody helmet of the general up for everyone to see. "He has been personally slain by myself, in single combat."

Guts was surprised, while Richard smiled slightly. "Well done, Link..." Richard silently muttered to himself.

"B-Boscogn..." The enemy commander stated, as the forces on his side seemed to look like that their morale plummeted slightly, before he then growled and turned to his men. "Do not falter! We still outnumber them-"

Suddenly, the Band of the Hawk began to cheer, as the enemy commander turned to the castle of Doldrey, which was now hanging the flags of the band, as there were several men on the walls, waving the banners of the band for everyone to see.

"What... What are those standards...!?" One of the enemy squad leaders remarked with disbelief. "No way..."

"The fortress..." Another one blubbered out.

"...Impossible!" A third one yelled out in outrage.

"Well now." Richard stated, as he raised his blades lazily. "Your general's down, and your fortress is gone. So what if you have a bigger army? We cut both of your heads off, so you're nothing more than pigs to the slaughterhouse now."

"You lost. That much is obvious." Guts mocked the enemy forces before him, as he placed his weapon over his shoulder.

"Cry out! Cry out in victory!" Griffith roared.

"I was waiting for that! HURRAHHHH!" Corkus cried out, as the other mercenaries did the same.

Reimu watched from the top of the walls, as she was standing right on top of the edge, as she was holding a flag of her own.

"Hey, what do you know, this is pretty nice." Reimu admitted, as Casca smiled at her.

The enemy forces, who were already in disarray from the massive losses, didn't have time to react, before the nearby mercenaries cut them down with renewed vigour and strength, as the others continued the fight.

"Show no mercy to any who still oppose!" Griffith cried out.

"Retreat! RETREAT!" One of the leaders cried out, as the Chuder forces began to turn to flee.

"Fools! Who ordered you to retreat?" The commander bellowed, in a attempt to get the broken soldiers to listen to him. "I am your Supreme Commander! Stop, I say! Follow my orders! Hey! Come back! I told you to come back here!"

When he turned around, he saw Velouria charging at him with her claws out. "Time to die!" She screamed, before she then cut down onto him, as it dislodged him from his horse, rolling across the wide ground.

As Richard and the rest of his group gathered up, the black-haired swordsman looked back at where the enemy commander was, as he saw Griffith stopping beside him. He watched as the commander rose up, then tried to get close to Griffith. After a few moments of stillness, he watched as Griffith killed him with a blade to the head, before he then trotted after the rest of the band who were gathering up. Richard then approached him.

"So... You worked your issues out with that bastard...?" Richard asked him.

"...You can say that." Griffith calmly answered back, sheathing his bloody blade.

"Well, I guess that we're going to be definitely celebrated when we return to Windham, eh?" Richard stated, as he wrapped an arm around the leader's shoulder. "I mean, we're definitely ascending to knighthood together for all of this, don't you think?"

Griffith smiled warmly under his helmet. "Yes, I believe so too." He agreed.

* * *

_At Windham, during the time of the return of the Band of the_ Hawk...

The streets were bustling with people, as a few trumpeteers announced the arrival of the band, while flower petals began to scatter through the street, thrown by many women holding baskets filled with them, as applause was heard at every part of the street.

"Hurray for the Band of the Hawk!" One of the men cried.

"It's him...! Lord Griffith!" One of the woman screamed in fanatic joy, as the women turned their heads to the unmasked head of the band leader, who was followed by the officers, and Richard's little group.

"So lovely...! Can you believe it?" Judeau remarked. "I didn't know so many people lived in Windham..."

As the people passed through the street, the various mercenaries were received by the citizens of the capital. Children were giggling, as they followed the stoic Pippin. Corkus picked up one of the woman who approached him, as she was quite beautiful, causing him to gasp out in joy. When Casca looked up to the crowds around her, she blushed slightly, before she was met by the hand of Corrin on her shoulder, which snapped her out of her trance.

"It's alright, Casca... I'm sure that you deserved something grand and noble like this for so long..." Corrin assured her. "To be showered with praise... Who wouldn't want to be the recipient of such a blessing..."

"I... I guess you're right about that... sister." Casca answered back, with a slightly awkward tone, as Corrin blushed slightly.

"Please, don't call me a sister. I don't think that I'm close enough with you to be called one." Corrin responded back. "But if that's what you wish for today at least... I'm okay with it."

As Virion passed by ladies, he tipped his head and bowed before each of them, as several women fainted at his teasing attitude. Reimu passed by, as she was not too enthusiastic about the parade through the streets, although she endeavoured to keep a smile on her face, which widened when children came to her with flowers of their own. Like Pippin, Meiling silently passed along without doing much. As for Velouria, she lifted a few kids onto her horse, as they were slowly embraced in her hold, as she smiled warmly, since her playful nature raised her spirits greatly with the children beside her. Elma herself, was immediately beset by far too many happy children and doting mothers to count, as she was immediately shuffled in between Gunter and Link to ensure that she would not be besieged for the entire parade. However, she was still fairly happy to be welcomed by so many people, as it reminded of her time as a revered Overlord back in the Underworld. As for Link and Gus, they joined Gunter in being given respectful salute by knights-in-training, as well as several military figures, to which the three saluted back.

But for Guts and Richard, however...

"Look, it's the Raiders!" One of the men cried, as Guts, Richard and Gaston appeared with the entire squad of Raiders behind them.

"I see Captain Guts too!" Another one shouted.

"You idiots, what about Captain Raze!? The Bloody Stream is the leader of the Ten Braves in the Band of the Hawk!" One of the mercenary fans cried. "He deserves the same praise as well!"

"They're both considered to be the strongest warriors of the Hawks!" Yet another man cried. "No-one alive could tell who is better, Guts or Raze!"

"...How about it, Captain? Why don't you give them a wave as well?" Gaston suggested to Guts, who was looking at Griffith from afar. "You are one of the most renowned heroes of this battle, after all!"

Guts didn't respond back, before Richard then prodded him with his elbow, snapping him out. "Huh?" Guts asked.

"Hey, Guts... Aren't you supposed to be happy that you're getting all of this because you fought so well?" Richard inquired Guts with a casual tone. "I'm sure that the big bad Captain Guts waving and showing gratitude to the praise directed at him would be a win-win situation for everyone! What, you thinking about something?"

"No, it's nothing..." Guts answered back with a smile. "Who could have thought 3 years ago that we would be treated like this now?"

"...Who are you, and what have you done with Guts?" Richard answered back with a serious tone and expression.

"...What?" Guts asked in confusion, before Richard then burst into ravenous laughter. "What's so funny?"

"Oh god, I think that today the day that we might see a flying pig!" Richard chortled. "You're actually caring about how we're being treated, Guts? I thought that you would be like 'It was quite the battle, wasn't it, Raze?'. But I guess that even the gruff Guts respect having a glorious reception from time to time for his deeds."

"Heh... As prideful as ever, Raze..." Guts responded back, before he then muttered to himself, looking towards Griffith. "No one besides him, huh...?"

* * *

_During the night, at the great hall..._

Everyone gave applause, as the King of Midland, in his blue majestic robe, and decorated gold crown, stepped forward to the front of the stair-case, with his wife, the Queen, and Princess Charlotte beside him. Everyone was dressed in their casual clothing, as Richard looked up to the three of them, especially Charlotte. He also spied Corkus beside the lady that he met the morning they arrived at Windham, as well as Rickert and Pippin together like old friends. His own friends were gathered around him, as they were hanging around in the middle of the large gathered crowd.

The King slowly raised his hand, as the applause slowly died off.

"Everyone, I must thank all of you, who have endured this long time of trial with Us." The King addressed everyone in the room, as everyone applauded again, as the king called for silence once more.

At the same time, Richard saw Casca and Guts come in, as Guts was dressed in a black suit with a white scarf, while Casca was in a white gown, with a large golden hair-band with pearls engraved in it, all over her head. Richard immediately beckoned the two of them come, as they did so quickly.

"As I'm sure you are aware, this victory is owed in great part to the distinguished services of the Band of the Hawk, led by Count Griffith." The King spoke, as Charlotte looked at Griffith, as she smiled and waved at him. "For one hundred years, the recapture of Doldrey was though to be impossible, but they alone, with the courage of the greatest magnitude, have succeeded where many have not."

He then nodded his head gently. "...Thus it is proper that We grant Count Griffith and his Band of the Hawks the title of the White Phoenix Knights." The King declared. "...And beknight all of the Hawks' unit commanders without exception and raise them to our peerage."

"Ohh, the White Phoenix General!" One of the male nobles remarked.

"The White Phoenix Knights!" A female noble added.

Soon, everyone turned and gave applause to the gathered members of the Band of the Hawk, although there were some dissenters, who grumbled amongst each other in envy and disdain of the king's order.

"...WE ARE NOBLES!" Corkus screamed with pure joy, as his own feathered hat flew into the air, as it slowly rose into the air.

Griffith then looked around, before he then saw Guts and Richard standing together, as they both nodded and smiled at Griffith's success. Griffith, happy that his treasured friends were proud of his achievement, smiled back. Although after a while, Richard turned his head away, as he walked away with a slightly apologetic expression on his face, before he then walked towards Gus.

"Gus." Richard stated. "We have matters to discuss outside."

"Richard...?" Gus asked, slightly surprised about being called to speak with his friend alone, before he nodded back. "Alright, I'll come with you now."

* * *

_Outside the castle..._

The two friends slowly tread their way to the plaza where Griffith and Princess Charlotte met once before, before the two of them took a seat by the fountain edge beside each other.

"This seems like an awkward time for you to decide to tell me something, Richard..." Gus stated with a worried tone. "Are you alright? Is there something wrong?"

"I have to tell you something." Richard told him, as he placed both hands on Gus's shoulders. "Gus, I want you to do something that only I can trust that you will do for me."

"What is it, Richard?" Gus asked, becoming curious about what Richard's request might be.

"I want you... to stay with the Band of the Hawk in my absence." Richard answered back. "It will be a long year before we will meet each other again, and I need you to lead the others in my stead, in order to ensure that the Band of the Hawk will not be eradicated before the 'fated time' comes."

"Absence? 'Fated time'?" Gus stuttered, as he was conflicted by what he was hearing. "Richard, what are you saying?"

"Within a few days, Guts will be leaving the Band of the Hawk." Richard answered back. "I will go with him, and be by his side like the comrade that I sworn to be for him. And there will be no convincing him, or me to decide against it."

"But why...? Why would Guts leave the Band of the Hawk...? Especially at this kind of time?' Gus responded back with a hurt tone.

"...Some things are best left unsaid and untold." Richard answered back cryptically. "However, if you are as smart and clever enough, finding the reason will be quite easy, as the hints for it lie within his words. Either way, I want an answer, Gus. If you try to stop me... Don't blame me if I maim you in the attempt. I must go with Guts, and that is non-negotiable. Will you do this for me?"

"...I will." Gus stated back, after a pause caused by his own inner reluctance. "But only because I know that you have your own reasons for this, and that going our separate ways is the best for the world currently. After all, you'll come back, right?"

"...Count on it." Richard answered back with a assuring smile. "And before you go... I want you to memorise what I'm about to say. Are you ready to hear this? This will be very important for the safety of the others, and the survival of the Band of the Hawk."

"I'll do my best to keep it tight in my head. Go on." Gus nodded.

"Gus, the world is about to change." Richard spoke in a solemn tone. "The world's true dark colours are about to show. Do not let the happy moments cloud your judgement, for the worse has yet to come. You must prepare, Gus, for the higher to the sun that the bird soars, the more chance that its wings and feathers will be burnt to ash, and grounded forever. And a final warning to you, Gus. When the next eclipse comes... That is when Zodd's prophecy will come to light, and when you will see that this world was never meant to be inherited by mere humans. When that time comes... Hold nothing back. Even if hell stands before you, use your very flames to guard those close to you until the very realm is cleansed of harm and hostility. And whatever you do: DO. NOT. LET. YOUR. MIND. BREAK."

Richard emphasised the last few words strongly, as Gus was taken aback by Richard's suddenly ominous tone, as he made sure to memorise Richard's foreboding words without a single fault. "...I got your message." Gus grimly answered back.

"Good, you may leave. Take care of Elma in my absence." Richard responded back.

Gus then got up, as he left the plaza. After a few moments when he left his sight, Richard immediately stood up, before he then checked his surroundings, as if he was looking for something in particular, even narrowing his eyes to squint to see as far as he could. When he was sure that he saw nothing, he closed his eyes and sat down, instantly activating his own magic detection. As his senses pulsated through the entire area, he sensed something, which caused him to smile.

Then as if, his mood changed on a whim, he jumped up, and began to pace around the fountain with his arms behind his back, with a affable expression on his face.

"Oh, it seems that I might have greased the gears a little too much." Richard spoke in a sing-song voice, as he began his pace around the fountain. "I must say, Griffith is quite the charming fellow. He's got it all in a sweet little package. The charms, the sword, the leadership, the camaraderie, and the AMBITION."

He then immediately turned himself, pacing the other way. "Man, I'd say that he's like a fairy tale character." Richard remarked. "He's not broken, there's so little flaws about him, compared to his many traits. I wonder... Could that possibly be impossible to achieve in such a realistic world...?" He continued.

Another turn. "No, no~ I think that it's not so impossible after all. I think that it's possible to use certain pre-science eugenics to achieve your desired outcome. Although it would take around about... I say, centuries of inter-breeding, hm?"

And yet another turn. "But enough about Griffith, let's talk about his current progress. I mean, this is real good news, the King respects us enough to make us official knights, with nobility to boot. I'm not one to care about such noisy junk, but I'd say that this is most definitely a good step for Griffith. Everything's turning up Griffith side up~"

And yet another. "But there's still the problem of the fact that we got some nobles who hates his guts, literally in a pun-like manner, and metaphorically, and that the war's only a notch better thanks to all of this. But who cares? Griffith is now a tried-and-true count, and he's going to be a few steps away from getting his own Kingdom. I'm sure that *nothing* is going to fuck his little rise of power up, would it?"

And Richard turns again. "Well, I'm actually a little jealous of that little white bastard. He's just simply too sweet for my tastes, that it makes me feel that there's something funny about him. And the fact that he's taking participation credit for all the feats that me and my friends achieved, and he still made it as the most fabulous and well-loved member of the Band of the Hawk. Adon kicks the bucket? Griffith planned it. Boscogn gets killed in a fair duel? Griffith planned. And so many other feats that were achieved by his men? Griffith planned it. Well, it's not like it's wrong? He planned it out so that we get a slice of the metaphorical pizza of slaughter and victory. He deserves his own share, right?"

Richard then stops at a certain point. "But I could say that although it took me three years, and for me to be the recipient of it, I think I found Grififth's critical little weakness. He's just the right level of self-centred to fuck himself up doubly in two ways. One is that he's too far from his own comrades and friends to have someone to comfort him. That's when you have too high of a level of narcissism. And the other way, hoo boy, he obsessed with Guts a little too hard, and the same goes for me. Although I'd say it's shitty of him to say that he wants a friend who doesn't follow his dream and stand as a equal to him. Kinda hard, don't you think, Griffith-boy, when we're expected to do that serving under you? Hell, you could have kept shut about it, and Guts would be like 'Meh, he's just being a little philosophical'. But no, you had to have such high standards for friends. And you're about to lose the one person who cares about you like a true friend, and one that you actually could have kept. Well, I'm the same, but honestly, I give no shits about what he thinks of me, because I bet that this is going to end one way. And I think that this is going to end the way I predicted."

He then turned his head towards the head of the fountain, with a smile still on his face. "Say, don't you very much agree, **Ubik?**" Richard remarked with a wide grin on his face.

When he met by silence, he merely threw his hands up. "Oh come on, Ubik, this is how you're really to play this? The silent treatment game?" Richard stated with a chuckle. "You must be wondering why I can sense you, while the current sorcerers and wizards can't do it, even with the awareness of the magic mumbo-jumbo and supernatural creatures. Thing is, pal, you forget that you can be sensed. Although only a few can do that. But then again, you must be aware that this 'few' regards the 'few' in THIS world. If you can't figure that much out, well, Ubie-boy, I'd be quite disappointed, since you should know of this already."

More silence. "Oh, and you might be wondering next, 'Aren't you supposed to be affected by my manipulation of consciousness?'. Well, funny thing is, I felt you try, and that worked as well you might have figured already." Richard then tapped the top of his head several times. "After a 'certain' incident, my little mind is locked up tighter than your friend Conrad's eyes. I welcome you to try, because any unauthorised attempts to pry inside of my consciousness is grounds for experiencing the mental SUPER-labyrinth that is my consciousness. So that locks you out of the choice. So then, you done playing hide-and-seek? And start talking like proper gentleman?"

And yet more silence, as Richard then placed his hands on his cheeks. "Oh no, Ubie-boy, have I caught you with your pants down? My my, for someone who has spent centuries learning human personality and culture, you're quite the introverted person, aren't you? Come on, now? I know how much of my little talk with Gus you heard. So I'm not going to hold that against you. After all, it's just coincidence, right? You're just a little curious about the juicy info about all of us, right? Why don't you check the Casuality, that's gonna help you a lot?"

Richard then drew his back, before letting out a loud barking 'HA!'. "As if! Sorry, Ubie-Boy, but you don't always get your answers by looking up your ye olde archive machine. After all, some things just don't exist in your current 'server'. I mean, we just plopped only a few years, and you didn't bat a eye to us. But look at us now, it seems that I've kicked up enough racket to get one of you down to speak with me as a representative. And of course, being the social manager of the God Hand, you're most fit for the job, and as a bonus, you get this package of info from the conversation for free! Ain't that a bargain, like how you sold the Crimson Behelit to Griffith for nothing at all!"

After a few moments, Richard sighed. "Alright, in all seriousness, Ubie-boy. I think that it's enough one-sided conversations for now. I don't like it when the other person has a severe case of cold-feet, metaphorically of course, since I know what you're like, heh heh. However, if you actually have some..."

He then willed a large fire-ball into existence. "Then how about I give you a WARM WELCOMING!?" Richard cackled, as he threw the fire-ball right into the top of the fountain, as it burst apart, as the flames died off, leaving a broken fountain top.

After a few moments, Richard was silent, as he then shook his head. "Ah well, I tried. If ya don't want to talk now, we can always talk later, Ubie-boy." Richard sighed. "After all, I'm always here for you-"

Suddenly, as he turned, he came face-to-face with a large blobby face, with two large spherical crystal-clear eyes, that had spike-like frames around them and around its head, as well as a wide grinning face before him. In reaction to this, Richard merely grinned back. "Ah, there we go, Ubie-boy!" Richard jovially responded back. "Now that wasn't so hard, wasn't it? Although when I expected a face-to-face, I didn't expect you to take it that seriously."

Richard then slowly backed away, as he caught sight of the entire creature's body, as it does not appear to have legs, rather it has fin-like tendrils that hang down below it, floating a few feet above the air. It was the size of a midget, and its large human-like hands were clasped together in front of it.

"Alright then, Ubik. Let's talk business." Richard answered back, with smile still on his face, before he pointed at him. "You want something, and I will give it to you. A simple conversation and transaction of information. No-one here to act like that our meeting is the next trumpet for the end of the world, and no-one ever will, if you want to keep your little plan going on as it should."

"Ehehehe... You are quite irritating." Ubik giggled, in a slightly malicious tone, which caused Richard to fake-gasp.

"Oh my, the great Ubik is actually angry with me!" Richard spoke in a mock-afraid tone. "I thought that the great Ubik only has a single emotion, glee! Oh, forgive me merciful and wise Ubik, for I have offended you greatly!"

Ubik didn't respond that, before Richard then placed his hand on the chin. "Alright, come on, Ubik." Richard stated. "Let's not play round-about games. You're here for an answer, and I'll give it to you. All you have to do is ask your question, and remember, say please~"

"You have interfered greatly with our planned ritual." Ubik declared. "Although your questions have left us much to desire. Indeed, I will not play games with a mind that is as convoluted as yours. Tell me, what is your plan with your knowledge of the Causality and our plan?"

"Interfered?" Richard asked, before he then went into a bout of crazy laughter, before he then cut himself short. "Oh, come on, Ubik. You really think that I'm dense enough to try that right now, of all times? I mean, seriously, you're saying that my actions matter in your little plan? Not the fact that Griffith is going through all the gates like you and your little group has orchestrated? After all, like I said, Griffith is bound to fall, and I'm not doing anything to stop that, despite what it seems from the outside perspective."

"...Answer the question." Ubik responded again. "After all, you owe us a truthful answer for the interference you have caused, regardless if it derails our plans or not."

"Ah buh buh buh..." Richard answered back. "You didn't say please, like a simple human would~"

"Well, I will force it out of you if I have to." Ubik threatened back.

"Oh please, and look what that did." Richard answered back. "You couldn't pass the first level of my mental defences when you tried to hide yourself from me. What makes you think that you being serious can do any better. Oh, and if you think that you can brute-force your way through... Let's just say that instead of the classical minotaur, like dear Zodd, you'll be dealing with some very... troublesome figures. And trust me, you meet them, God Hand or not, it's going to hurt like mortality sewed back into you."

Ubik remained silent. "So you have quite the 'stick' on you, otherworlder." Ubik admitted. "Very well, _please _do enlighten me about what your scheme is."

"Right then. Was all that condescending talk to me, and threats worth it, just to say a simple word of manners?" Richard smiled back. "Alright then, about what I'm going to do in the short-term? Nothing at all. Just because my friends are staying with the Band of the Hawk, doesn't mean that your events will change at all. Griffith loses his mind, tries to stick it in dear Princess, gets found, Band of the Hawk is exiled and put up as a bounty, and dear Griffith gets the grand prize: A year of the cruelest tortures imaginable. And when that's all done, Griffith leaves, and triggers the Eclipse as intended, and becomes your colleague in near-godhood. Finis Act 1."

"...And the long-term?" Ubik answered back.

"Now, now, Ubik. Just because you know what's going to happen, doesn't mean that you should be spreading it out, and asking for spoilers." Richard answered back. "But I'll leave you with this: When the Eclipse comes, we'll talk again, and that's when you'll be told everything. Cross my heart, hope to die, no crossed-fingers, and none of the cryptic junk. Just pure undiluted truth. Although you would be right to suspect me, since we're both well-versed in truth manipulation. Now then, that's enough for you...?"

"...Ehehehe, now I see why Void holds so much interest in you." Ubik stated. "You are quite the being, to claim to stand equal with the God Hand, and yet be able to sustain your mortal guise among the men. You are a very dangerous individual, 'Richard'. And we of the God Hand will be watching your every step."

"Love you too, Ubik!" Richard laughed back. "Be sure to tune in when the 'fun' parts come in! I'm sure that it will be a KILLER time for everyone!"

"Ehehehe... Oh yes, we will most definitely be watching..." Ubik chuckled, before he then went into full crazed laughter, as he poofed out of Richard's sight.

Richard then turned away, as he placed a hand on his head. "Well, I guess that went fairly well, considering all things that might have happened." Richard stated. "Well, I'd imagine Void losing his holier-than-thou composure when he sees me take up the podium in the Eclipse."

He then walked away. "You think that evil's the only thing that makes things interesting and better...?" Richard muttered to himself, as his smile evolved in a grin worthy of a cheshire-cat. "We'll see how you'll do when I flip the script just enough not to get the boot, but still get on your nerves..."


	6. Chapter 5

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 5: Departure and Omen

* * *

_In one of the snow-covered mountains..._

"Are you... leaving?" Griffith asked Guts, who was standing opposite of him, with Richard on the side, between them both. And right behind Griffith was all of the Hawks' officers, and the entirety of Richard's group.

"Yeah..." Guts responded back, with a fairly stoic tone.

"You mean to quit... the Band of the Hawk?" Griffith asked with a even tone, as his expression didn't shift the slightest as he spoke.

"I'm sorry, Griffith." Guts answered back with a fairly guilty tone.

"That doesn't explain anything! Aren't the Hawks just like family to you, Guts!?" Rickert exclaimed, as he approached the older warrior with a torn expression.

"Cut it out, Rickert. It's a man's decision. Hush and let him go." Judeau responded back to the young boy.

"Thanks for everything." Guts bowed towards Griffith.

Richard then walked beside Guts, as Guts looked at him with a confused expression. "And unfortunately, you aren't the only one leaving this band." Richard stated, before he slowly placed a hand over his chest. "I too, will be retiring myself out of the service of the Band of the Hawk, and I will do so with you, Guts."

Griffith's expression immediately changed into one of shock, as the others were much more shocked, especially Richard's own friends, save for Gus, who knew what was going to happen.

"Y-You're leaving too?" Judeau remarked. "Guts, I can understand his reasons for leaving, but you, Raze...? Why do you choose now to leave with Guts of all people, at this time? What about your-"

"My friends will remain in the Band of the Hawk." Richard responded back strongly. "I entrust their safety and happiness in your own hands, Griffith. That is all that I ask for, when I am about to leave."

"...Raze... Why?" Elma asked with a betrayed tone.

Richard gazed at Elma with a torn expression, before he shook his head. "You aren't truly ready to experience the harsh realities of the world around us, Elma." He spoke in a solemn tone, before he then gazed towards his other friends. "And there are things that I must do, that I must remain alone with, for the sake of your safety and innocence. I do not wish to leave my friends alone, but you have bonded with the Hawks more than I imagined. I will not deny any of you your rightful places in the band. However, I have found my own calling. I may return one day, but until then... I ask that you continue to serve the Band of the Hawk as the mighty warriors that you've always been."

Meiling bowed her head silently, trying to hide emotion from her face, while Reimu turned around, and let out a soft grumble, as she muttered, "Damn you, Richard... Always doing these things on your own whim like it's all about you...". Corrin then turned to Gus.

"This can't be true, right Gus? Raze would never leave us like this...!" Corrin exclaimed with a outraged expression.

Gus turned to Corrin with down-cast eyes, before he then shook his head. "It's real, I'm afraid." He answered back. "Don't take this as a severance of the bonds between us and him... Like he said, he will return one day. And until then, it's our duty to grow stronger, and live on for his sake, so that we'll reunite once again."

"...I see." Gunter answered back, as Virion comforted a slightly emotional Velouria, who leaned into the archer's chest, as she tried to hide her own tears at the fact that Richard would leave them like this.

Link nodded in agreement, as he gave Richard a fair smile as if to bless him safe travels, while Antonio raised a hand to argue about something, before he then stopped himself, and opting to look away like Reimu, with a sad expression of his own. Elma tried her best not to cry, as Richard felt a little strain on his heart, sensing Elma's distress and sorrow at this kind of time, although he still kept his expression as calm as he could.

"Judeau... Rickert..." Richard turned to both of the mentioned mercenaries. "I want you to take care of Elma, and my other friends. Make sure that she will slowly accustom to the feeling of having to walk this path without me. The others are accustomed to fighting without me, but not sweet Elma... She will be heartbroken, but she'll one day understand that this is for the best."

"...I understand." Judeau grimly responded back.

Casca looked at both of them, before her expression changed, when Griffith's hand whipped towards his rapier-blade, pointing it at both Richard and Guts.

"Griffith..." Guts muttered.

"I thought I told you then. That you belong to me, Guts." Griffith spoke in a firm tone. "I won you with this. Your fights and your death. All of you belongs to me, Guts. You are of the same, Raze. You both belong to me. If you desire so much to wrest free of my grasp, then it must be the same as that time. Wrest yourself away by the sword."

"So, we can't just smile and say 'take care'?" Guts asked, although he was met only by silence. "You're serious, aren't you, Griffith."

"...So be it." Richard answered back, before he then stepped slightly to the side. "However, you are in no condition to pick a fight with both of us for such a dispute like this. So we will make this fair onto you. Among us, choose one. If you can take down the one you chosen, then we will both remain without any question or complaint. However, if you are to lose... Then our contract with you will be severed completely."

Griffith then looked towards Richard, then at Guts, before he then switched his eyes between each of them, before he then pointed his blade at Guts with a determined look in his eyes.

"...Alright then." Guts answered back, before he then drew his broad-sword, as Richard moved amongst the crowd.

"I see... It's only fair that you would choose Guts over me, because you are far closer to him, than I am to you." Richard remarked. "Very well, we will see if things have changed between the two of you over these years..."

"W...Wait! Are you two serious!? Comrades are going to cross swords!?" Casca blurted out, before she was grabbed by the shoulder, by Richard, who dragged her away before she could try to interefere. "What-"

"Don't interfere, Casca. There is no other proper way to settle this dispute." Richard told her. "And this is the most fitting way, considering what it took for Guts to be inducted in the Hawks in the first place."

Both Griffith and Guts rushed at each other, as they struck at each other, neither of them scoring direct blows onto each other. Despite Griffith's speed, Guts was agile enough to dodge the fast strikes aimed at him, using his blade to block the other attacks, and striking widely at Griffith in a attempt to hit him.

"It all started with a duel, and now it will end with one... Fine by me, I think it fits me well." Guts remarked, as their blades clashed against each other over and over again. "This says to me, that for you, I'm still worth spilling blood over."

"Do you want to go!? Is this... how badly you want to leave my grasp, like Raze!?" Griffith asked with a betrayed tone, before his tone became more vicious. "...You can't. You can't! I won't have it! I won't let you!"

"Guts is strong. But even so, if it's Griffith... I'm sure that he could stop him..." Casca quietly muttered to herself. "...Yes. Then everything can stay as it is... No... Is that... my wish? Do I want... do I want him... to stay?"

Richard looked at Casca, who was absorbed by the fight, as he shook his head solemnly.

"You look like you're staring down an enemy..." Guts commented, as both of them locked blades, as their faces was close to each other's. "Well, I can't complain if you resent me for this. But still... even if... You will come to hate me or think of me as a traitor... That's why... That's why... I have to go. To me, you are...!"

Griffith then growled, as he forced Guts off him, as Corkus scoffed. "Heh! Maybe losing an arm will wake his ass up!" He stated.

"Will it be as simple as that? Guts's skill has been honed well on the line between life and death and one could say that his sword is a sword of carnage." Judeau objected. "And with Griffith's face lacking its usual composure... Their strength is equally matched."

"Indeed... Who would expect that someone as nimble and deadly as Griffith would be stopped by someone crushingly powerful like Guts..." Gus pondered.

"What's wrong with all of you!? This is a sword fight! If we don't stop them... Someone will...!" Casca stated.

"You're concerned about the both of them, aren't you, Casca?" Corrin stated, as Casca turned to her with a frantic expression. "This is a issue that they must resolve only between themselves. I'm sorry that it had to be this way. If someone was won by a duel, then they gain freedom by winning a duel of their own. This is something that I have seen several times before. This is no different. I'm sure that neither of them will draw blood on each other, despite how brutal their fighting has become at this point."

"But...! But..." Casca blurted out, before she deflated slightly, as Judeau looked at Casca with sympathy in his eyes.

Soon, Guts and Griffith knocked each other away, as they prepared to strike at each other. Griffith charged at Guts, who immediately steadied himself, and brought his blade down on Griffith with mighty force. Elma looked away with a yelp, as she was scared that Guts's attack might cleave through Griffith. However, she heard the sound of metal snapping apart, as well as something faintly whistling through the air.

She then turned back to the fight, as she saw that Guts's weapon stopped just right next to Griffith's head, as Griffith's long-blade was snapped near the hilt, as the piece was sent flying into the air, which then embedded itself tip-first into the deep snow around them. Griffith was completely still, his eyes wide in disbelief, as Guts silently gazed at him. The hilt slowly dropped out of Griffith's hand, as he then fell onto his knees, his expression frozen in disbelief.

Guts then walked past Griffith, as Richard then joined him. "Take care." Guts stated.

"...That day... You should have never hid your true self from us..." Richard whispered to Griffith, as he passed him as well.

"Griffith...!" Casca shouted, as the rest of the band approached Griffith, as she checked him over, and saw that he was unscathed from the duel, save for his broken weapon. She then looked towards the departing duo, as she turned away, trying to hold back gentle sobs, before she then turned back to them. "...Guts...! Raze...!"

Richard then looked back at Casca, before he then gave her a warm smile. "...Take care of the girls, Casca..." Richard told her with a warm tone. "...You are good woman, and deserve to live a happy life. Take care of Elma for me, please."

He then turned back, as he and Guts disappeared across the horizon, as his friends silently watched them leave.

"...So we're without him for the time being..." Gus remarked, before he then bowed his head. "...I'll do my best in your stead, Raze."

As Richard and Guts walked down the mountain, Guts then turned to Richard.

"Why are you leaving the band with me...?" Guts asked with curiosity in his voice. "I thought that I would be the only one leaving."

"You thought that. And I don't blame you. But honestly... I think that my leave will also help with Griffith." Richard responded back. "After all, you realised that you need to be away from him, in order to ensure that you would be able to decide your own path from now on, since you know that being under Griffith won't cut it anymore, right...?"

"...Sort of." Guts grunted with a short nod. "And you...?"

"I left, because Griffith is a little too obsessed in both of us." Richard answered back. "And that obsession will become his down-fall one day, if we never severed our bonds. You leaving won't be enough to snap him out of his little world that is centred around him and us. He will grow weak in his dependence on us, so I left, before the situation could grow worse."

"So you care about Griffith as well, don't you, Raze?" Guts asked back.

"In some degree, yes. Unlike you, I'm no true friend of Griffith, I'm just someone who respects him as a prominent leader and a talent to rise up even further." Richard responded back. "Sorry if you heard this from me, but I still care for Griffith in a emotional sense as well, just not as much as his other officers and especially you."

"...Then why didn't you leave with your friends, then...?" Guts asked.

"Why...?" Richard stated, before his expression turned slightly melancholic. "...You heard enough about the reasons. It's best that we don't talk about it."

"...Alright." Guts stated. "Either way, I'm actually a little glad that you would stay by my side together. It's quite a warm feeling."

"That's friendship." Richard smiled back. "Well and genuine friendship, that Griffith wanted so much, but got spoiled about. But even under his definition, as fairly equal to each other... We could say that we're 'friends', right?"

Guts chuckled slightly. "Maybe."

The two of them soon left the foot of the mountain, as they travelled to wherever their own hearts led them.

* * *

_A few days later, in a small plain..._

The entire Band of the Hawk, save for Griffith, and Guts and Richard who recently left, trotted down on horse-back into a desolate plain, as there were only dead trees and grass surrounding them, as well as many hills. Everyone was dressed without any armour, as their clothes provided them little protection from the cold that permeated the air, as people were shivering from the low temperatures, only wearing coats and pants.

"It seems that we've been woken up early." Gus remarked. "I wonder why Griffith would call so early in the morning..."

"What could this be about?" Rickert pondered. "Why would Griffith call us here so suddenly?"

"It must be some surprise drill!" Corkus shouted, before he then returned back to shivering strongly from the cold.

"Then why would he tell us to bring no armour?" Rickert asked back.

"Then it must be a riding practice." Corkus answered back. "Since we beat Chuder at Doldrey, we haven't had a decent battle for a while. Although he could have picked a better day! Brrr..."

Reimu then looked up, when she heard the cawing of ravens, as many of them perched on the branches of the surrounding dead trees, as she felt a sense of unease going on her.

"Even so... Riding practice without armour is only effective to a certain degree." Gunter remarked, as he was dressed in a tunic. "And then this kind of weather... It makes me wonder if there is anything wrong with Griffith, after Raze and Guts left him so suddenly."

"What's more, he never came back yesterday. It must have been a big shock to Griffith after all.." Rickert added.

"Stupid! Something like that wouldn't bother Griffith!" Corkus argued strongly.

"Still... for Griffith to be late..." Judeau remarked, as he shook his head. "It's quite strange, don't you think?"

Pippin and Velouria then heard something, as they tuned their own senses. They could hear that it was the rushed hoofbeats of horse-riders, which alerted the both of them.

"ENEMY ATTACK!" Pippin bellowed.

"Someone's laid this as a trap for us!" Velouria yelled out. "We need to run! NOW!"

Everyone turned to both of them with shocked expressions, before the ravens around them began to fly away together, away from the group. Reimu paled, as she knew that this meant that something terrible was about to happen onto them.

And with a single distant sound of thousands of bowstrings being pulled, the skies above them began to rain down arrows, as they whistled through the air, towards the gathered group.

Many mercenaries were killed by the first few arrows that rained down upon them, as more and more causalities piled onto the plains, their bodies riddled with arrows. Everyone tried to evade the rain of arrows, although Gunter opted by using the already dead bodies of the horses to shield himself from the rain, as Pippin did the same. The other officers sprinted away from the rain of arrows, at full speed.

When Elma delayed her evasion, she found a barrage of arrows coming down at her, as it left her with nowhere to run, as she immediately prepared to shield herself. However, several mercenaries immediately wrapped themselves around Elma, acting like a human shield for her.

"Protect the saint! Protect her!" One of the mercenaries cried, before his body was struck by the rain of arrows, as he let out a cry of agony, before he then fell off his horse, which was also shot dead by the barrage.

As Elma watched as the men died protecting her, with arrows through their heads, and their life-blood spilling around her, Elma was in complete fear, as she was begin to hyperventilate, and she became far more paler than she usually was.

"No... NO...! NO!" Elma cried out, as tears of fear spilled from her eyes, as she clutched the neck of her horse, who whinnied in response.

"Elma! We have to get out of here!" Corrin shouted. "I don't know who the enemy is, but they managed to lure us into a trap with a false order. We have to arm ourselves, and prepare for the next wave of attacks!"

"But... But..." Elma whimpered.

"I know... This is most terrible..." Corrin responded back with a grim tone. "But we can't afford to stand here longer, lest the enemy continue to pursue us..."

Elma sniffled, as she wiped her tears away, as she muttered a silent prayer for the lives that were lost because of the ambush, before she then rode away from the bloody scene, where most of the band lied dead, penetrated by the arrow rain.

* * *

_Meanwhile, in a dark forest in the continent..._

Richard suddenly snapped awake, as he felt something wrong. He then looked around, expecting to be met by danger around him, only to see and then sense that there was nothing hostile nearby, not even anything that remotely resembled a presence.

However, he knew what could have been the reason for the sudden influx of dread, as he placed a hand over his heart.

'_Please be safe, Elma... Gus... Everyone..._' He thought to himself. '_I'm sorry that you're going to have to fight off the very land that once revered you like idols before..._'

When he finished his mental prayer, he then stood up, before he noticed Guts gently resting beside him on a large tree, holding his large blade in between his arms. Richard smiled at the safety of his only companion currently, before he then turned around, as he inspected his own blades, which were fairly rusted after all the battles he had fought with them, and the fact that his weapons haven't been refined for a long time.

'_After all..._' Richard thought, as he gazed at his fairly rusted steel blades. '_I could never use my personal blades for battle. Not until the right time comes..._'

Suddenly, a large gout of purple mist began to seep into the ground around him, as he was slightly surprised, before he then calmed himself down, and let a smile creep onto his face, as he heard slow and distant hoof-beats come closer towards him and Guts.

"So... I see that we are destined to meet at last." Richard stated, before he then turned around towards the source of the sounds. He was met by the sight of a skeletal knight, who rode a well-armour undead horse, which seemed to be as fit as its living counterparts. The skeletal knight itself, was clad in knightly armour, with his rib-cage protruding on the front of his chest-piece, as well as a tattered black cape around his back, with a shield on his left arm, and a blade in his right. Not only that, but Richard noticed that he had a series of barbs on the top of his hardened skull, that resembled a crown, and his eyes were glowing red orbs. "...We meet, oh Knight of the Night."

"So you are most aware of how the gears are indeed turning at this very moment." The knight spoke in a dark and deep voice. "You, the Rebel, has been visited upon by one of the God Hand, and yet despite their magical signatures surrounding you, you are otherwise unaffected. It seems that you are indeed the one disciple of 'her."

"Rebel...?" Richard remarked, as he cocked his head slightly to the side. "Hm... A fitting moniker, despite everything I have done currently. Although time and causality still flow as they are... I have changed a significant amount of events to my advantage. Subtle enough to change nothing permanent and world-affecting, but then again, you forget that a tower will topple with only a few less bricks in its structure, as long as the bricks taken are done in a proper order."

"And so, you will be the one to change the sorrid tale written with the flows of Casualty." The knight continued. "Unfortunately, it is not your time to change yet, and that too, you are well aware of. You are merely pawns guided by an unknown hand to the God Hand. But I know the truth about who you are, as the God Hand will realise when your true nature is revealed."

"Then how do you know of my true nature easily, if I have not done a single thing to reveal it?" Richard asked.

"...Your magic possesses the same feeling and trace as the chaotic magic 'she' possesses." The knight answered back.

"Fair enough." Richard replied back. "Indeed, I may be a 'pawn' for now, but I am the one who holds the key to a fate that will be changed. In fact, there will be two divergences from the intended flow of Casualty, and the first shall come when we meet once more in the Eclipse. You will see that I have no intentions to openly provoking the God Hand yet, but you will see that we share a common enemy for the time being. Until then, I will do my best to protect your cherished Struggler. He will be trained at my hand, when I have taken so many of his feats that would mould him into the unbreakable warrior that shall defy death, no matter how close it lingers towards him. And when the time comes, you will see the results of my presence on this world at last."

"...You are fearless at the prospect of the Eclipse... You do not fear the despair and darkness that it brings?" The knight questioned Richard.

"Those only affect mere mortals. I have transcended such states." Richard answered back with a stoic tone. "However, I am not truly severed from mortality, as you may have noticed. I still possess the humane spirit, and the humane emotions, even though my soul, body and mind are not. And I will tell you that my current state is mostly kept on my own will. You admire the tenacity of humanity in the face of insurmountable adversity. To struggle, to adapt, to evolve, and to exceed, that is what it is like to be human, a existence that is never truly bound, no matter what forces may try. I possess that and much more. So you may consider me to be a living demon with human essence. The God Hand have shed their humanity entirely to become what they are, but I have not done such things. Thus, as time passes, the human spirit shall make me yet stronger, stronger than them, and stronger than the 'God' that they serve under. And to address your question in a more direct manner..."

Richard then slowly placed a hand over his left eye, before he slowly lowered it, as the iris of his eye glowed red for a brief moment, as the pupil disappeared entirely. "...I am no stranger to despair, for like Guts have woven near death... I have crawled through despair so deep that it is a endless torment for even the most iron-willed of minds. I preserved where none could, and I was rewarded, because I clung onto my mind by sheer luck and by my own deeds. Despair is no longer a affliction to me now. It is merely a state of mind now, a dangerous one, but necessary to maintain my growing existence."

"So I see. You are an interesting being, Richard Liu, servant of the goddess of chaos, Yakumo." The skeletal knight addressed Richard. "Very well, I will respect your position within the grand scheme of this world, and I will join hands, as it is to my benefit to do so."

"Glad to accept your alliance, O Twilight Knight." Richard answered back, before he then walked over, and sat himself down on the tree, beside Guts. "But I assume that you aren't only here for me, are you?"

"I have words to speak with the Struggler." The skeletal knight simply answered back. "And I shall impart you with one last piece of information. Your demonic friend... She will remain untainted by the dark desires of this world. That I remain certain, for not only her innocence and pure heart ward those unclean desires from rooting in her mind, but being touched in darkness, it cannot harm her no matter how it tries. Only its servants can hope to achieve harm onto her."

"I know. Which is why I left her in the care of my friends. And when I return... She will be reunited and safe with me." Richard responded back, before he slowly let his eye-lids droop, slowly pulling himself into restful slumber. "Farewell, Twilight Knight, in a year... Let us begin our joint assault at the Eclipse, and shatter the dark ambitions present."

Richard then fell into sleep right away, as Guts slowly woke up, before he was then met by the sight of the skeletal knight, causing him to jolt up, as he drew his blade, pointing it at the knight.

"What...!? Who are you..!?" Guts demanded, before he turned to Richard, who was asleep, as he moved over to him, nudging him strongly in a attempt to wake his resting companion. "Oi... Raze... Get up... We've been found by someone dangerous..."

"Do not bother trying to awaken him." The skeletal knight advised Guts, who stopped immediately, and turned around the face the knight. "He will not wake up until my departure."

"Damn you..." Guts growled. "What did you do to him...!?"

"A strong connection with him..." The skeletal knight stated. "So it seems that he has taken root in your own heart more than I have predicted. The gears have indeed begun to turn, as the machinations have started to reveal themselves. You, Struggler. Take heed of my words. Your friend remains unharmed, and I have no intentions of showing hostility to you."

"This feeling... It feels like back when we faced Zodd..." Guts muttered to himself. "But it's very different, not to mention... this weird unreal feeling...!"

"One year hence shall be the time of the Eclipse! You and your friends! Those yet unseen of the fleshless flesh!" The skeletal knight boomed out his foreboding warnings. "And that unkingly half of yours, shall be all gathered then at the that place! A torrent of madness, a tempest of death for which the human body could never atone, shall sweep over you! But take heed, Struggler! You were born from a corpse and begun your life from Death in the mud. You are closer to death than anyone. Thus you excel at escaping its grasp! Struggle! Contend! Wriggle! That alone is the sword of one who confronts death! Never forget this!"

"Who the hell are you!? How do you know about me...!?" Guts shouted.

"It is not time yet." The knight answered back. "In the abyss of despair... only he who stands up with a broken sword in hand... Perhaps... he will live. And before I take my leave, I shall impart you one final truth that you must never forget: The Rebel, who stands by your side, shares the same nature as you, and he shall stand by your side against the bleak future to come. No matter what he shall commit, and no matter how he shall act, his true nature as your ally will remain unchanged. He shall be your guiding light through the endless darkness, and nurture your strength, so that you shall gain the power to defy, as he currently possesses. Never forget that, Struggler, for he and you are kindred in suffering and betrayal."

"What...?" Guts asked, before he turned to the peaceful resting figure of Richard, and turned back, only to see that the knight and his horse has disappeared, along with the purple dark mist that permeated the forest a while ago. "It's gone...? A dream...? A skeletal knight..."

Richard then took the chance to wake up, giving off a loud yawn, which turned Guts's attention back to him, before he rubbed his eyes a few times.

"Guts...? You awake already?" Richard asked.

"...Yeah." Guts answered back, as he didn't feel like that he should be sharing the 'dream' with Richard. "Are you alright?"

"Thank you for the concern, Guts. But I am very fresh and fine. In fact, I slept far well than you would expect in a wild place like this." Richard responded back, before he then looked at Guts's face. "...You seem to a little troubled. Is there something lingering in your mind?"

"Yeah, the fact that I'd forgotten the sense of unease, without my blade next to me." Guts said. "Even with you, the old feelings still remain. Maybe... I'm once again trying to throw away something irreplaceable that I'll never have again...? After all, I believe that it was Griffith's word on that day, that sparked our desires to leave the band in the first place. I'm even wondering if I left the band on my own free will."

Richard frowned and sighed at that. "You know... You're not wrong." Richard answered back. "For a leader, Griffith was much more decent than anyone we could ever know. He treats us like proper warriors, he's in good terms with his men, he's a war-tactic genius, and he's strong enough to claw through every battle he's dropped into and still survive regardless. Leaving his service was a hard thing to do, but I guess it was the right thing to do at the time. After all, you knew that there is no satisfaction in staying with Griffith anymore, and that you have to force him to let go of you, for him to realise your true value. But what's passed has passed. I doubt that the Band would be anywhere to be found. And besides, maybe we'll return one day, and we'll get to see his face again. And he'll be far better in the mental sense. No more of that 'unworthy' crap, and no more of his secluded mind-set. It'll be like good old times, before we both decided that he dulled because of us."

"...You're right. Best to think of the future, instead of the past." Guts smiled back.

"Atta-boy, Guts." Richard patted Gut's shoulder. "Now then, I heard that there was a good town nearby. How about we stock up on some good stuff, before he continue our journey further beyond this continent, eh?"

"That would be nice." Guts answered back, before the two of them got up, and slowly walked through the forest.

However, they were soon ambushed by a large group of bandits, with the leader threatening them with his dagger raised.

"It's careless of you to be travelling alone by yourselves. Come on. Leave your goods and split!" The bandit leader demanded.

Richard and Guts looked at each other, before they released a collective sigh.

"And we were just having a good morning." Richard sighed deeply. "Ah well, this will do as warm-up before some breakfast. Guts... If you will."

Guts then raised his blade, before he then cleaved the bandit leader in two, before he could react, as the bandits were shocked, before Richard drew his twin blades.

"Alright then, you low-lifes... Let's turn this around..." Richard remarked, as his smile became sinister. "...Give us your shit... or you DIE."

Richard then charged at the bandits, as their screams pierced through the forest.

* * *

_Outside the forest, a few hours later..._

Guts and Richard trudged out of the forest, drenched in the blood of the criminals, as they were both fairly fresh, although the condition of their weapons were not. Guts's massive weapon has finally began to show significant wear, as the blade's edge was beginning to be chipped, and there were corrosion and rust everywhere of the face of the blade. Richard's weapon were still fairly the same, although they were already in fair condition at most, to begin with during the battle.

"My sword's all messed up now... I should get it repaired." Guts sighed, glancing at his worn blade.

"Same here. Now that we're without a band to support us, we have no-one to sharpen and restore our blades for us, each time we wear our weapons down." Richard answered back. "Before we start terrorising the local criminal population some more, and getting some stuff for ourselves, and making the fields a safer place for the townsfolk nearby, we should fix that problem before our blades snap in the middle of a crucial battle."

"I see a cottage over there... And it seems to have smoke coming out of it... The black kind..." Guts muttered, as he turned to the land-mark in question, which was atop a small mountain. "I think that this is where the local blacksmith might be."

"Well, why don't we check. Even if it's danger... We got a few fights more in our weapons either way." Richard stated.

The two of them ascended the mountain, as they then entered the cottage, when they did, they saw an slender old man working in his personal forge, equipped with his hammer and tongs, on his anvil, hammering a sword into proper shape. He didn't seem to notice the two of them coming in, as he was solely focused on his task before him. He was a man with long wavy grey hair, and he was dressed in only a round bandana, a loosely fitted blacksmith apron, grey baggy pants, and leather boots.

"Hey... Are you a blacksmith...?" Richard asked, attracting the attention of the elderly man, who then turned around, as he had a large beard, and his eyes were sharp. He glanced at every part of the two of them, especially their blades.

"You two, are you swordsmen?" He asked back.

"Something like that." Guts casually responded back, before a young girl dressed in a red dress, blue skirt, and a white scarf, came into the room, as she had her blonde hair tied into a bun behind her head, and her blue eyes radiated gentleness, and Richard nodded as well.

"Let me see your blades." The old blacksmith instructed, as the two of them laid their blades down before him, as he examined them closely. "Hm... I see why are you seeking repair for them. My name is Godo. From now on, I will take care of your blades."

"I'm Erica! Nice to meet you!" The young girl greeted both of them, before Richard walked forward and placed his hand on her head, causing her to be surprised. "Huh...?"

"What a fine girl you are, Erica..." Richard smiled back, causing Erica to be soothed, as he turned to Godo. "Is she your daughter? Or is she just a young friend of yours, Godo?"

"She is my daughter. That is all you need to know." Godo stated, before he then picked up Guts's broadsword. "Stand back, I shall start with the broadsword your companion has."

Both of them complied quickly, as Godo went through the standard procedure of filling up the holes in the blade itself with molten steel, before he used his hammer to strike the blade to maintain its original shape. After a while, he then worked on the edge of the blade, as he hammered the edges into become sharp once again.

"Say, Godo. Why are you working as a blacksmith all alone here in the mountains?" Guts asked Godo.

"I ain't alone. Daughter's with me." Godo responded back, as he hammered the blade with precision and skill. "There's good ore to be had in these mountains. They say elves used to live there long ago. That's why there is so much good ore around here."

"Hmm... Godo. Why did you become a blacksmith? Do you like doing it?" Guts questioned again.

"Ppfftt... Guts, you know you shouldn't be asking that kind of question out of the blue." Richard scolded Guts. "This is his profession. At least, he will be a little disappointed. And from his skill and his service, I'd say he's quite focused on his task, especially when he didn't notice us coming in on the first visit. That's a good sign of a devoted blacksmith."

"Actually, you're a little wrong there, young lad." Godo answered back. "My answer is that who knows? Before I knew how to walk, I had my hammer in my hand. Before I could decided if I like it or not, I was hitting iron in front of me. After that, I was so busy trying to improve... trying to craft better stuff, that one day, I woke up an old man, when I slept as a young one. Heh! Simple enough, I think. I've been striking iron since I was born. Just like folks who live without knowing why they're alive. I don't know why do I keep hammering and forging... oh yeah, there is one more thing I like about being a blacksmith."

"And that is...?" Richard curiously asked.

"Sparks. Sparks are nice. I get engulfed in them with each swing and push I do." Godo responded back. "It feels like new life... Like my own life, springing into the air for an instant before my eyes."

"Heh, I can understand that feeling. The fire of your forge reminds you of your burning drive as a blacksmith." Richard chuckled. "Just one meeting and I already like you."

"...And next are your blades." Godo stated, as he let the repaired broad-sword cool off for a moment. He then took Richard's blades, before he started to repair them. "After your blade has cooled down, you may test your own weapons to see if they still suit you. My handiwork is only precise to a certain degree. You might have to get used to swinging a blade of a different weight each them I repair them."

"Well, no harm in training often, eh?" Richard remarked. "Don't worry about it. All I ask is that what you desire as payment for all of the work."

"There will be none." Godo responded back. "Do not mistake this for blind generosity, but I believe that your blades are their own payment towards me. As long as you wield them like they are a part of you, then I have no qualms about repairing the weapons as many times as it takes for you to continue your paths."

"...Thanks." Richard answered back.

* * *

_A few days later, in the bandit hideout..._

Richard and Guts slowly strolled into the front of the bandit hideout, as the both of them walked forward with the blades out, and not a single iota of fear or hesitation on their expression. Only grim determination on both of their faces.

"I guess that they won't learn, until it hurts them badly." Guts stated, before he then lowered his blade, ready for battle, as the bandit scouts spotted them, calling the others to battle with their horns.

"Heh. Bandits are dumb like that." Richard replied back, drawing his blades, as the doors to the bandit hideout opened, causing bandits equipped with assorted weapon types to pour forth, dedicated to eradicating the both of them. "They don't know where they stand in terms of strength compared to us former mercenary legends."

The two of them charged the enemy bandit forces, as the poorly-equipped bandits were cut to pieces by the much more deadlier duo, as their blades cut through their leather and worn steel armour like knife through butter, spilling blood and pieces of severed flesh everywhere, as the two of them cut through the enemy forces, as the hideout sent wave after wave of bandits to try and slow or weaken them down.

However, the two of them wasted no time fighting into the hideout itself, as a trio of bandit leaders tried to attack them, one equipped with an great-axe, one equipped with a short-sword, and another equipped with a long-bow. As the bow bandit readied arrow after arrow, firing them at the group, the two melee-oriented leaders engaged them in single combat. The axe bandit against Guts, and the short-sword bandit against Richard.

Richard dodged the blows of his opponent, as they were sloppy compared to the likes of refined generals that he fought countless times on the battlefield, and he quickly caught an arrow aimed at him, before he then rushed forward and stabbed the arrow right into the chest, where the bandit's heart was, causing him to fall down in agony. Richard coldly placed his foot on top of the arrow penetrating the bandit, before he grinded it right through the rest of the bandit's heart, causing him to cough out a large spray of blood, before dying quickly from the fatal wound.

The bow bandit was severely demoralised, when he saw his own brethren get killed by his own arrow, thanks to his opponent's superior skill. When he caught Richard coming towards him in a menacingly slow manner, he frantically loaded as many arrows as he could on his bow, firing as quickly as he could, in a attempt that he would be able to at least wound the enemy enough to slow him down, or force him down.

However, Richard's blades cut through the arrows aimed at him, amplifying the ranged bandit's fear in Richard, before his lungs were stabbed through by Richard's weapons. And with a single flick of his wrist, he cut upwards through the shoulder, as the bandit fell backwards, dying as blood sprayed onto the floor.

Meanwhile with Guts, he was having a simpler time dealing with his opponent, as he did a over-head slash that broke the great-axe in a single blow, causing the now disarmed bandit to panic after having lost his only means of fighting so quickly. And with a single horizontal slash, the bandit's head was severed off, with a spray of blood from the headless stump on top of his body, which then toppled forward.

As soon as the leaders were cleared from the hideout, there heard distressed screams deeper in the hideout, as they found a townswoman locked behind a wooden cage.

"Help me please!" She pleaded to both of them. "I just want to return back home..."

"Alright, stand back, ma'am." Richard answered back, before he cut the front of the cage open, freeing the female citizen. "Follow me. I'll guide you to safety. Ride onto my horse, it'll keep you away from the other bandits that we will be fighting soon enough."

"...Thank you." She showed her gratitude to Richard, as she mounted onto the horse, while Richard whistled a certain tune, causing his horse to follow after him at a safe distance.

As they left the hideout, they were met by the sight of the bandits being attacked by another clan of bandits, as the differences were easily to distinguish, allowing both Guts and Richard to know who is with which bandit clan.

"Looks like we got some in-fighting." Richard stated. "You be the cleaner for this mess, Guts. I'll get the lady to a safe place, where she can be found without any danger."

"Got it." Guts responded back, before he then jumped into the fray, tearing through the forces of both bandit clans.

At the same time, Richard mounted onto his horse, before he then whipped it into full speed, as he sped through the battlefield, cutting through any enemies who were foolish enough to try and stand in his way, dodging pikes that were aimed at him and his horse. He quickly arrived at the only path that would lead the citizen to a direct path back to town, before he then dropped her off.

"Thank you... Your kindness won't be forgotten..." The female citizen thanked Richard once again, before she then ran down the path, away from the entire mess.

When he returned, he was stopped by a large squad of bandits.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing with my pals and my fun!?" The leader of the squad demanded from Richard.

"It's law of the jungle, moron." Richard taunted back. "You're weak, and I'm strong. So I raided your little hide-out, murdered your guardsmen, and took the lady. All without a single scratch. What are you going to do that? Fight me? Please, I'm hired to kill your puny ass, so step right up and bend your neck outwards, so that I can make this clean and swift."

"Don't screw with me...! Kill him!" The bandit leader roared, as his men charged forth.

However, Richard jumped off his horse, as he then cut through his men with wide cleaving strikes, inching closer towards the bandit leader. As soon as the bandit leader was met by the sight of Richard slaughtering his men, his own arrogance shrank away at alarming speeds, as he abandoned his own pride, and turned to flee.

"Well, I guess that we're going to have to do this the hard way then." Richard responded back, before he then picked up a discarded arrow in his hand. "But it's also the FUN way."

He then threw the arrow with mighty strength, as the arrow penetrated through the leader's leg, causing him to cry and stumble onto the ground, clutching the new hole in his limb. Richard slowly walked over to him, as he took a long bundle of rope from one of the bandit corpses. The bandit leader tried to crawl away from Richard, only for his hope to be quashed, when Richard stomped his foot into his back, halting his advance.

Richard then tied one end of the rope around both of the bandit's legs, and he held the other hand in his hands. He slowly turned to walk away, as the bandit was dragged along the hard ground with him.

"Wait, what are you going to do to me...!?" The bandit leader responded back with fear. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I picked the wrong fight! I angered you! Please, spare me! I'll give you everything my clan has! The gold! The women! The weapons! Everything! Please spare me..."

"Sorry, but who wants your shitty junk anyway?" Richard scoffed back. "And I don't have enough libido to care about women at this point. No, instead, since you made things more troublesome for me, you deserve a fun punishment for your impudence against your betters."

Richard then immediately got onto his horse, still holding the rope in his hands. "You're going for a ride with me, dear 'chief'." Richard smiled back, although it was not one filled with warmth and kindness, but one filled with malice. "I hope that you'll enjoy the back seat of the ride... Heh heh heh..."

"No, wait... Stop! STOP!" The bandit leader screamed. "Anything but that! Please! I don't want to die like this!"

"Should have did what I asked then." Richard responded back, ignoring the bandit leader's pleas, before he then ordered his horse to move. "Now you're going to die a fitting death, a death deserving of moral filth like you."

The horse then travelled through the entire battlefield, as the bandit was dragged along the ground, as the coarse surface was enough to grind slowly through his clothes and flesh, as he screamed in agony, as skin was torn away to reveal bloody muscle, as the torment didn't end for him. When the horse came to a halt, Richard saw that Guts finished his work on the other side of the battlefield, as there were a pile of corpses that were cut open or killed with a beheading or a blade through their brain, as he got onto his own horse, and met up with Richard.

"So... Is this the other bandit clan's leader?' Guts asked with a stoic tone.

"Indeed it is. I generously offered to give him a clean and swift death. But like the ungrateful shit he is, he turned it down and tried to kill me." Richard responded back with a affable tone. "Of course, I took quite the offence on that. So I decided to punish him through the act of horse-dragging."

"Help me... please..." The bandit leader wheezed, as his skin was beginning to peel away and bleed, as his legs were the ones that took the most punishment.

"Shut it, you. Tell you what, if you survive until we reach the village where your bounty is posted, and that's a big IF, I'll cut you free and spare you myself." Richard stated. "Although you would be well aware of how far your little hideout is from the town itself? Hope you got thick skin, because you're about to be in for at least two hours of grinding torture."

The bandit leader screamed in despair and hopelessness, as Richard and Guts rode towards the village, ready to collect their bounty for the eradication of not one, but two bandit clans.


	7. Chapter 6

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 6: A Year's Reunion, and Rescue of Griffith.

* * *

_A year later, in a large city..._

Richard and Guts walked through the streets of the city, as they passed by a knight who recently arrived, and was calling for recruits and mercenaries.

"Isn't there anyone with some skill around here? If you get results, I'll pay well!" The knight called out, as it attracted the attention of both wanderers.

"Say, friend." Richard told Guts, careful not to mention his friend by name. "Don't you think that this little scene is a bit familiar somehow?"

Guts grunted, before turning to the knight. "What for?"

"Before long, there's to be a major bandit hunt in my territory. You two look like that you can fight pretty well. Will you join?" The knight offered.

"Pft, like we would be easily convinced by mere bandits." Richard scoffed derisively at the knight. "Sorry, but I'm not your local exterminator. We had far too many bandit hunts in this entire year. Get someone else who's interested in doing your 'civic duty'. Come on, pal, I bet that there is going to be no-one interesting for you to fight against."

"Wait...!" The knight shouted, just as the two of them turned away from him. "In that case, rest assured! They say that the woman boss of the bandits is such a good fighter, even ten large men couldn't beat her."

"What do we look like, rubes?" Richard mocked back. "We fought against stronger men than that. Although if you're saying it's a woman, she must be fairly dangerous. Is there more to tell us?"

"They're a former mercenary band who caused an uprising a year ago in Windham. It seems they did well in the Hundred Year War before that, though..."; The knight continued. "Right, the Band of the Hawk! The Band of the Hawk and their woman boss, Casca."

Both Richard and Guts were shocked by the revelation, as Guts opened his mouth to scream "WHAT!?", before Richard cupped his hand over his mouth, before he could ask anything more.

"Wait, you're kidding, right?" Richard asked with disbelief. "The famous Band of the Hawk, the one that managed to recapture Doldrey, are now rebels to the nation!?"

"It is true." The knight responded back. "Come to think of it, you seem to look a little familiar. You use those twin blades on your back? The Bloody Stream Raze used twin blades as well. However he and Guts the Hundred-Man Slayer has been missing shortly before the uprising even began."

Guts resisted the urge to scowl, as Richard nodded slowly. "I see. On second thoughts, we will take the time to consider the job." Richard answered back. "Could you at least tell us where we are to gather?"

"Of course." The knight nodded, as he handed a parchment to Richard. "If you are willing to fight against the ones that betrayed your trust, then I have no means to stop you doing so."

"Alright, thank you. It's been a long time since we heard of the news of the Band of the Hawk, but damn... To think this would happen... It's a real shame..." Richard shook his head, before the two of them departed.

When they were sure that they weren't being followed, Richard tore the parchment open, as Guts trembled, no knowing whether he should be enraged at how the band was betrayed by the nation, or in disbelief at the fact that the Band of the Hawk has become wanted, and that they were only made aware of this right now.

"This is bad, Guts..." Richard spoke with a concerned tone, as he scanned the parchment in his hands. "If the Band have been hunted by the Midland Kingdom, then they are in dire danger. Regardless of what situation they have gotten themselves in, we must make haste and return to their side as quickly as possible, and rescue them if need be."

Guts couldn't respond back, as Richard then walked over to him, and shook him firmly. "Oi! Now's not the time to space out!" Richard bellowed to him. "Look, I managed to coerce the location of the raid from that knight over there. This will save us a lot of time. But the best option right now is not to mope around, but to take immediate action. Do you understand!?"

Guts nodded back, before the two of them quickly made for their horses, and used the map to take them to where the battlefield would likely be.

* * *

_In a large forest..._

The two of them encountered the Midland forces that were aiming to eradicate the mercenary band, as they noticed them coming towards them.

"You there!" One of the knights cried. "Could you possibly be... part of the Hawks!? Those weapons and your appearance... You're Guts and Raze..."

"Spotted out on the first moments..." Richard scoffed, before he and Guts drew his blade. "Doesn't matter. You're not stopping us from getting back to our friends. You have one of your fellow friends to thank for warning us about your little assault on my band. Don't think that any of you are leaving here alive."

"Crap... Call the others-" The knight cried out to his men, before he was immediately cut down from his horse by Guts's blade, as they both charged through the men, cutting through some of the men on the way.

"Why is the Band of the Hawk being targeted...?" Guts muttered under his breath. "Last we left, the Band of the Hawk were revered as heroes, and Griffith has become a official noble... Why did this happen..."

"Save those questions for later, Guts! We need to find a way to reach the others before the enemy starts picking up their assault on them!" Richard shouted back.

The two of them then breached through the wooden gates with their blades, into a garrison, as the commander noticed their intrusion.

"Enemies inside!? Get them! GET THEM!" He ordered, as all of the men inside the garrison drew their weapons.

"Out of our way, you bastards!" Richard screamed with fury, as his blades sliced through the soldiers, as he entered a furious rampage among them.

As Guts fought against the men inside the garrison, he noticed a dark shadow darting across the hills above and around Richard, before the shadow immediately shot towards Richard. "Look out!" He cried out in warning.

Richard heard Guts call him, as he turned around, and saw that there was a man dressed in olive-coloured turban and cape, with brown leather padded armour. He also had a mouth-guard around his face, and he had dark brown skin. He wielded claw-blades in his hands, which were pointed at him. Richard used both of his blades to deflect the assailant's weapons away, as the two of them separated from each ohter.

"An intruder before the attack..." The man spoke in a arrogant tone, lowering himself into a stance. "Sword arts in this land are dull and narrow-minded! In comparison to my deeply-rooted hand-to-hand style, it reminds me of children swinging sticks!"

"Oh great, an assassin with an ego problem." Richard growled, before he then fixed his stance as well. "Well, come and get me. You aren't even close to the level of skill as an assassin to even have a chance of taking my life. You may as well commit to something more needing of your acrobatic talents, like a performer."

The two of them charged at each other, as Richard used his blades to block the claws, the two of them blocking each other's blows for a while. However, as Richard twisted himself to parry a strike that the assassin threw at him from the sides, he then did a round-house kick that sent the assassin flying back.

"Didn't expect me to be good with only the blade, did you?" Richard mocked. "Next time you try to assassinate someone, do your recon, or your homework, and know thy opponent, you upstart prick. Now then, how would like to die? With your prides being severed from your entire body?"

"We will settle this another time." The assassin responded back, before he then leapt out of the garrison, as neither Guts nor Richard could see where he was going.

"Commence the attack! Get these fugitives! The Band of the Hawk!" The two of them could faintly hear, as the cheers of the men were heard after that, causing them to turn to the south, where the voices came from.

"Damn it! So this is what it was about...!" Guts shouted, before Richard then moved over to the gates, before he slowly pulled them open.

"No time to waste! Split up and support all of them!" Richard shouted. "I'll take the western path! You take the eastern path!"

"Got it!" Guts shouted back, as they rushed out of the garrison, separating from each other, as they searched for the members of the Band of the Hawk.

As Richard moved down, he found Pippin and Meiling back to back, as they were crushing the enemy soldiers around them.

"Pippin! Mei!" Richard shouted, as the two of them turned to him, while he carved through the enemies in his way.

"...Raze...!?" Pippin exclaimed, as Meiling nodded.

"You have returned at last..." Meiling answered back. "Come, let us take care of the enemies nearby."

The three of them did so, as Pippin looked at Richard. "Thanks... But there will be more enemies ahead. I will hold the rear." Pippin answered back.

"I will assist as well, Pippin. Go, Raze. Help the others." Meiling told Richard.

"Alright, take care, both of you." Richard responded back, before Richard continued down to search for more of the band.

On Guts's path, the grizzled swordsman managed to find Corkus, Reimu and Corrin, who were fighting against the enemies around them. Corkus managed to notice Guts, as he looked fairly shocked.

"What the hell are you doing here!?" Corkus cried out loud.

"Shut up and focus on taking out the others!" Reimu roared to him, then turning to Guts. "A little help would be appreciated here!"

Guts rushed into the fray, as he cut down the enemy officers that surrounded the three members of the band, before they drove the enemy out.

"Tch... Showing up just at the right moment... Typical of you..." Corkus scoffed. "I'm going to help hold back the rest of the enemy."

"...If you're here, then Raze...?" Corrin asked Guts, who nodded back. "Ah. I'll help the others who are holding the enemy back. The others have been separated from each other. Please help them as well..."

Guts continued along the path, as Reimu and Corrin followed Corkus, as they joined Pippin and Meiling in fighting the enemy squads that were pouring in through the garrison that Guts and Richard just came out of.

Virion and Rickert were pinned down by a large group of enemies, as the only thing protecting them was the barrier that Elma rose up to defend them, as Rickert used his cross-bow and Virion used his large bow to shoot down the soldiers from safety through the small gaps in the barrier itself. However, as they defended, they found that their barrier was being struck by shadowy figures from all over, as Elma's barrier strained under their attack.

"I can't... hold this much longer...!" Elma strained to respond back to the two shooters.

"Please... you have to hold on, Elma...!" Rickert shouted. "We have to hold out until help comes for us!"

"Easy to say, young Rickert..." Virion grumbled. "But the others are in their own sticky situations."

Suddenly, Richard then rode into the enemy forces, as Elma saw him and became overjoyed. "Brother- Raze!" Elma shouted with utter relief.

"R-Raze!" Rickert shouted, as he then moved towards the edge of the barrier. "Raze, please! You have to find the enemies that were attacking the barrier! They're in hiding! We need to find them before they escape and ambush the others!"

"I know, I took out several of them on the way." Richard stated, before he then caught one of the nimble assassins that were attacking the barrier with his blade. "And I don't mind taking out some more!"

Richard then darted right towards the assassins, before then focusing on the enemies that were pelting Elma's barrier, as she quickly dispelled it when they were safe, as she looked like that she was completely exhausting, panting and huffing with sweat running down her face and arms.

"Raze, it's so much better with you back here. Is Guts here as well...?' Rickert asked Richard.

"Yes he is, and he's on the other side helping more of the band." Richard stated. "You should help Pippin and Mei. They're guarding the rear path, so that the enemy cannot proceed towards what might be your main camp."

"I'll support them. I just need some time to rest..." Elma responded back, as Rickert helped her mount onto her horse. "But... I'm so glad that you came back for us, Raze... So very glad..."

"Do not worry, we will protect her. You continue on your mission to save the others." Virion assured Richard.

"Understood, be safe, the three of you." Richard answered back, before he then continued down the path, where he found that Guts managed to reach where Gaston, Gunter and Antonio was, as the three of them were cleaving through the enemy forces, with Gaston doing his best to rally the Raiders under his command.

"Raiders! Get it together!" Guts barked out.

"Gu... Captain Guts..!?" Gaston exclaimed, before Guts tore through the enemies to reach him. "The Captain is back! Show them the pride of the Raiders!"

Richard then rushed into the fray, as Gunter and Antonio were both surprised that he has returned.

"Raze... You have returned? It must be truly a miracle for this to happen at this dire time." Gunter remarked.

"Hot damn, Raze... You're finally back. I'll tell you that everything went to utter hell since you left, and we spent a long time like this." Antonio whistled. "Anyway, Judeau and Casca are just ahead. Although you're in for a big fight further in."

"They're the only ones left, and that's not including your friends, Raze." Guts stated, before they heard a loud explosion, as smoke rose up from a spot close to where they were. "Shit!"

"Let us hurry, Guts!" Richard shouted, as the two of them galloped towards where the hideout on horse-back, before they saw Gus and Judeau fighting determinedly back-to-back, among the burning ruins of their hideout.

"Guts! You're finally back!" Judeau passionately cried out.

"Raze! You're back, thank gods you're finally back..." Gus stated with relief in his voice.

"We've rescued everyone! All that's left is you two, Casca and Velouria...!" Richard responded back, as they cut through the enemy pouring into the burning hideout. "But where is Velouria?"

"She disappeared in the forest before the ambush happened." Gus answered back. "I'm sure that she is all fine, despite our current situation right now."

After a few strenuous moments of fighting off the enemy numbers, Richard noticed that the path ahead was open, as the cart that was blocking it exploded, potentially due to the fire potentially igniting the explosive material inside of them.

"Casca is just ahead there! We'll be fine! Check on her!" Judeau shouted.

Richard and Guts nodded, before the two of them rushed down the path, as they caught the sight of the same assassin that attacked Richard, pinning Casca down, with both of his clawed-blades crossed over her neck.

"Three!" He declared, as his hands began to move, in order to cut Casca's head off. However, before he could, he was suddenly ambushed by Velouria from behind, as she kicked him mid-leap, causing the dark-skinned assassin to flip forward and tumble for a while, as Casca's eyes were closed in grim acceptance of her fate.

"Four." Velouria sneered, as Casca's eyes snapped open, as she saw Velouria standing over her. "Surprised? Don't let that street performer get one over you, Casca. I told you, I'm a girl of the wild, and I'll be fine in the forest. Now get up and let me take care of this upstart freak for you."

"Heh, how dare you..." The assassin snarled, before he then readied his claws. "Little girl, I will tear your organs out for the ravens to feed on!"

"You can try! You think you're the only one who fights with claws, you idiot! Mei could do the same, and she doesn't need anything on her fists to beat you into pulp!" Velouria mocked, as she then charged at the assassin. "Now then, DIE!"

The two of them clashed, as the assassin's refined movements seem to be no match compared to Velouria's ferocious, yet still controlled strikes, as the assassin was forced to dodge each time her claws drew close, as they landed glancing blows on his flesh, even while evading. He then vaulted back, creating distance between both of them.

"Let's see if you can stand against my special weapons!" The assassin declared, before he then pulled out twin-blades which had several long paper-thin, flexible blades that looked like metal ribbons, all connected to the hilt. "Urumi! The mean means 'thunder'! Its power is like a thunderclap and it is the mightiest within my arsenal! Let's see how you like it!"

"Heh, you think some metal whips are going to beat me! NICE TRY!" Velouria shouted, as she then darted right at the assassin, who immediately whipped his weapons around, as the metal blades swung through the air, causing Velouria to quickly retreat away, but not before a blade nicked her cheek, creating a small gash on it. "Tch... That's some range you got!"

"Hehahahaha!" The assassin cackled, before he then spun the blades around, as they rotated quickly, making his arms look like metal wheels, as he slowly approached Velouria. "Now you DIE!"

"Well then... If your blades are flexible enough to move like a whip..." Velouria remarked, before she then lowered down, crossing her claws over each other, as she grinned like a predatory wolf. "Then I like to see how they'll do when I CUT THEM APART!"

She then darted forward, right into the spinning blades, but just a moment before she could touch them, she immediately slashed her claws outwards, as they sliced through the thin blades with little effort, causing them to drop down to the ground, useless. The assassin was stunned, before Velouria then flipped herself over, and kicked the assassin right in the face with her left foot, as it knocked his turban away, and broke his nose from the impact. He immediately flipped away, surrounded by his brethren, who were dressed like him, as his long brown hair was revealed, and he was clutching his bleeding nose.

"You... Why you..." The assassin hissed in rage, towards Velouria, before he then pulled out hand-sized chakrams. "Pull back for now!"

He then threw the chakrams forward, as Velouria knocked the one aimed at her, although the other one whizzed through the air, towards Casca, who prepared to dodge the attack. However, the chakram was knocked out of the air, pinned to a tree by a throwing knife, one thrown by Judeau. The thrower immediately wiped the sweat off his brow.

"...Thank god that was over..." Richard sighed in relief, before walking over to Velouria. "...Good job, Velouria..."

"...Hmph." Velouria grumbled, turning her head away with a dissatisfied expression, to which Richard smiled to.

* * *

_After a few hours, inside the main camp of the Band of the Hawk..._

Richard and Guts grimly listened to the events that occurred during the long year that they have left. Each member took turns telling each and every event, to the moment when they were first betrayed by Midland, to the days that they were forced to fight day by day against greedy mercenary bands and vengeful Midland companies. They then told them that Griffith was in the custody of Midland.

"Griffith was...? I can't believe it..." Guts muttered in denial. "...that Griffith would... why..."

"After you two left, Griffith was really depressed. What I think it must have been because of both of you." Rickert explained.

"In one year, we've dropped to less than a fifth in number. We can't even be called an army anymore." Judeau added. "But it still could be worse. If Casca hadn't become our leader, and your friends weren't here to help us, Raze, by now, we would have been scattered to the winds, to eventually be hunted down and executed. To be honest, I think it's a little unfair to her. But we have no other option... If the Hawks are to survive."

"I can understand that..." Richard nodded solemnly. "So then... What do we do from now on?"

"Well, we haven't just been running around. We're soon going to move forward on a plan we've been working on over the past year." Judeau continued, "We're going to rescue Griffith, from the capital of Windham. Everyone who's still around is worn out, even with our local saint helping out from time to time. But there's no one left who would try to leave like either of you. No one's been coerced into staying, either. In the end, everyone here, is, for better or worse, a Hawk to the bone. Courage and willpower alone ain't going to cut it now. We don't just go to save Griffith, but to revive the Band of the Hawk. We can't be the Band of the Hawk without him, who is its figurehead and symbol."

"It's good, somehow... Y'know. When the place you come back to hasn't changed at all, it feels good." Guts commented, crossing his arms.

"On that note, what have you two been doing for the past year?" Judeau asked.

"Simple mercenary work, and eradicating criminal filth." Richard answered back. "Turns out we have a fair bit of a calling on that. Now the bandits fear us as the karmic reapers to which no bandit clan is able to escape from. We were well fed and well-treated by the townspeople nearby, but that's only because we made sure our identity is kept under wraps, in case something like this happened. Turns out we were lucky that we kept to it, because we could have woken up one day with blades through our torsos if the people knew who we were."

"So... Did you find it, Guts? You know..." Judeau asked Guts.

"..Honestly... I still don't know." Guts admitted. "But I found one thing... No, more like felt it. Seems like, for me... nothing but wielding this really feels true. There's no other answered."

"You, Raze?" Judeau turned to Richard.

"Well, when my friends are in danger like this, I can't just turn a blind eye, can I, Judeau?" Richard stated. "It's already long enough, so I think that when we get Griffith back, everything will turn for the better, and I can go back to being one of the elites in this mercenary band, and stay within friendly company once again."

"...Well, if you can say all that with such straight faces... Then well done, I guess." Judeau sighed. "We're counting on your help, Raiders Captain and Raze.

"Y'mean former Raiders Captain." Corkus grumbled. "I'm against him staying like this. Same goes for Raze. They weren't there when we were going through hell. How can I call someone like that a comrade? Well, even if I close my eyes to the past, now, you both are no more than strangers. At least get that straight."

"You're right, Corkus, but that doesn't mean that we can't make up for it." Richard argued back. "I won't make empty apologies towards you, but I ask that you at least trust that we will help you in the rescue at least."

"Hmph." Corkus grumbled, before Casca then came towards Guts.

"I need to talk to you, Guts." She told him, as the large swordsman nodded, as he followed her, away from the group. The rest of the officers gathered dispersed, leaving Richard alone with his friends.

"So..." Richard dragged out his word. "...How should I start this...?"

"How about an apology for leaving us like that for an entire year." Reimu bitterly responded back.

"Would some of you even accept it, if I made one right now?" Richard countered back, before he sighed. "Look, I did this for a good reason. I wanted to keep an eye on Guts, so that he doesn't kick the bucket during his long trip around the country. It was more than worth it, as I managed to get a few things that will prove helpful in the future."

"What are they? Or at least... How so?" Gus asked.

"Can't tell you specifically, lest one of you blab it out to the world to hear, and trust me, this is the worst moment for that to happen. But I can say that this relates to what is about to happen. And I'll tell you in forewarning, when Griffith is rescued... All hell will break loose, and you'll see the true face of the world around us." Richard answered back, before he drew his hand across his neck like a knife. "No more mere squabbles that were dictated as war. No more honour and justice... There will be only darkness and suffering, and that is when our true mission will begin, and when you will be subject to horrors that erode the sanity of those who are not prepared for them."

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines hearing Richard's ominous words, before he then turned to Reimu. "Rei. I ask that you do something for me, and it is a most important task." Richard told Reimu. "I want you create a ofuda for each one of us. Just us only. When you create them, make sure that they will be able to affect only the spiritual half of someone. And then inscribe the strongest protection spells that you can conjure for it."

"...I will make do with what I got." Reimu responded back with a nod.

"Right then... Tomorrow, we will save Griffith." Richard answered back. "Be prepared for battle though... They will not let us take him back without a bloody battle."

Everyone then dispersed, as they prepared themselves for the next day.

* * *

_The next day, inside the royal tombs of Windham..._

All was silent in the tombs, as the stone tombs of the royal lineage that ruled over the capital. However, after a few moments, the lid of one of them started to move, as it loudly ground against the sides of the stone tomb. When the lid was open enough, several figures walked out of the tombstones, as it hid a secret staircase underneath it. Guts, Casca, Pippin, Judeau came out first, before they were followed by Richard, Gus, Elma, Reimu and Corrin.

"How did you even manage to find this place?" Guts asked the others.

"We had help from the inside." Judeau responded back, as Casca pulled out the lit lantern.

"We're not the only ones who want to rescue Griffith." Casca added.

"But... can we trust someone in this castle..." Guts asked, before they heard the sounds of footsteps approaching, as there was a robed figure descending down towards them, with a lantern of their own beside them.

Guts immediately reached for his blade, as Casca gestured for him to stand down, as Richard instead focused on trying to see clearly who the person was, as he had a nagging suspicion that he might know the insider.

When the figure and light approached closer, it was revealed to be Princess Charlotte who was cloaked in a hooded robe, with her young attendant behind her, holding the lantern for her. She then noticed Richard amongst the infiltration group, as she asked them.

"Raze... You're here too...?" Charlotte asked softly, as she slowly slipped the hood off. "You really did come... I knew that you wouldn't leave Griffith like this..."

"Your Highness..." Richard remarked back, as his expression softened greatly. "...Thank you for the help... I promise that we will save Griffith."

"The Princess!? You are the help on the inside!?" Guts exclaimed.

"Yes, it was me." She gently nodded, before she turned around. "Follow me, I'll take you to the prison where Griffith is being held."

They followed, entering the desolate hallways of the castle, before Charlotte used the key she took with her to unlock the gate to the prison, as they slowly descended down a spiralling stair-case, as each floor had its own prison cell. as the group could see that one of the prison doors was being banged upon, and that there was a swinging metal cage, which contained a hollow corpse, which severely frightened Elma, to which Corrin quickly soothed her.

"This hole... How far down does it go...?" Guts asked.

"A long time ago, about a thousand years or so..." Charlotte spoke. "It was around the Age of Wars... In the midst of the chaos, one man appeared and put a stop to the fighting. The Supreme King Gaiseric. He conquered all the regions of the continent, and for the first time, all lands were unified. Everything about him was shrouded in mystery. That said, he was a very skilled warrior and it is told that he always wore a skull mask on the battlefield."

"Right, I heard stories about him before as well." Judeau carried on. "The Skull, they called him. But I also heard that he became so drunk with power, that God sent Five Angels after him, and destroyed his capital.

"Wasn't it four angels?" Casca argued.

"So? I don't see how that fairy tale connects to this hole here." Guts stated.

"What Your Highness is implying, is that this very prison was built among the ashes of the fallen capital." Richard explained, before anyone else could say anything back. "At least, the ruins are likely to be at the bottom of the very pit. Although I doubt that we'll be visiting them soon."

They soon made their way to the prison cell where Griffith was held, as Richard slowly opened the door. When he did so, the stench of spoiled rotten blood and the pungent smell of human waste could be smelt within the prison itself. Richard recoiled back, pinching the bridge of his nose immediately to avoid the wave of the atrocious smell from getting into his nose, as the others recoiled in disgust. As soon as the room was aired out enough for the smell to be tolerable, Casca shone her lantern inside of the room, as she could see various dry bloodstains on the floor and walls of the small cell. She slowly walked in, expecting to find Griffith.

"Ah...? Griffith...?" Casca asked, before Charlotte bolted into the room.

"Lord Griffith!" The princess cried out, as everyone slowly filed into the room. They looked around, before Guts noticed that there was a figure down on the floor around them.

"Someone is here!" Guts shouted, as everyone shone their lanterns where Guts was looking, as they found the sprawling figure of Griffith, who was stripped of everything but his helmet, as his body looked like that it had wasted away for so long, being so frail and skinny. Elma immediately gasped in horror, as Corrin's expression turned into one of horror, as Gus quickly averted his eyes from the body of Griffith and Richard looked at him with a terrified look in his eyes. Reimu didn't seem to be affected much, although she gave Griffith a sympathetic look in her eyes.

"Griff...? Griffith!?" Guts shouted with fear trembling in his voice, as he came closer to inspect his tormented leader, before he stopped, seeing that he could see the wide scars on his ankles and wrists, as they look like that they have been cut open, and viciously cut apart whatever was inside.

"Who... Who could do such a thing...?" Corrin asked with utter revulsion in her voice. "This kind of torture... It's... It's utterly inhumane...!"

'_You're not wrong._' Richard thought to himself. '_This is truly the worst that any human would do to another. To leave him in this state... The King must really have hated him for knocking up the Princess..._'

Guts then slowly lifted Griffith up, as he closely inspected the cut scars on his wrist. "The tendons in his arms and legs have been cut. His tongue as well... Damn... it..." Guts stated, as he grit his teeth in self-hatred, before he noticed that Griffith's helmet was locked onto his head, by a padlock, before he turned to Casca, who was holding the keys, although she was completely unresponsive, her expression frozen in pure disbelief. "Casca... the key!"

Casca's mouth was opening and closing involuntarily, as nothing came out of her mouth. "Casca!" Guts shouted again.

Judeau then snatched the key from Casca's still hands, as he then placed the key into the pad-lock hole, unlocking the helmet. Guts then gingerly took hold of the front of the helmet, slowly lifting the visor of the helmet off. When they did so, Guts and Judeau became extremely horrified, as Richard, who was the only one close enough to see Griffith's face, had his expression turn from shock into pure fear and disbelief, as his mouth slowly fell open, as he could barely stop himself from literally blubbering.

What Richard saw... was that Griffith's face was riddled with so many scars, and parts of his once-beautiful face were torn apart, revealing muscle and bone underneath. For a moment, Richard truly felt horror at seeing Griffith's condition. Casca then slowly walked over, as she was curious to see what was causing the reaction from the three of them.

"Don't! Stay back!" Guts shouted, as Richard then turned to his friends.

"None of you have to see this... None of you must...!" Richard cried out. "For the sake of your sanity, and for the sake of your hope... Do not look, Do not even think about what more has happened to him!"

Guts slowly slid the visor back on, as Griffith stirred awake, his eyes completely bloodshot. He silently gurgled, lifting a frail arm towards Guts's neck, before he then tightened his grip as much as he could with what little strength he had from a year of non-stop merciless torture, his teeth bared out, and his eyes radiating rage from them. However, instead of resisting, Guts dragged Griffith closer to him with a hug, as tears flowed from his eyes for the first time, at the sorry condition of his one friend in this world. As Griffith watched Guts cry, his expression softened, as he lowered his arm, until his hand met Guts's own. When he looked towards Richard, the black-haired blade wielder walked towards Griffith.

"Griffith..." Richard stated, before he slowly placed his hand by the side of Griffith's helmet, as there was a sympathetic look in his eyes. "...It's alright... We've come back for you... You no longer have to suffer like this... Hate us all you like... But we will make sure that you will be cared for."

He then turned to Elma, who was already in bitter tears, at seeing the pitiful condition that Griffith was in. "Elma... Please..." Richard told him with a sullen tone.

"Y-Yes... I... I can fix this... I have to... I can't... bear to see... Griffith like this..." Elma sobbed, as she slowly walked forward, her own staff trembling in her hands, before she slowly raised it. "H-H-Heal..."

As she did so, the green light washed over Griffith, yet it did nothing to the wounds that were inflicted to Griffith, as she was shocked, before she then tried again.

"No... It can't fail... Once again... Heal...!" Elma declared, as her magic affected Griffith again, yet still to no effect. "No... Please... Not like this... Why isn't it working...?"

Elma then repeatedly cast healing magic again and again, pouring more and more magic into her attempts, as she became more and more frantic, until she was literally screaming the word over and over again. However, no matter how much she tried, her magic didn't heal any of Griffith's wounds, only managing to ease Griffith's pain, from his softening expression. After realising her efforts were for naught, she collapsed on her knees, and sobbed miserably. Griffith watched her with apologetic eyes, as he let a single wet tear streak down through his helmet. Richard then walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, in a attempt to comfort her.

"...No... Please... Why... Why... isn't it working...?" Elma sniffled.

"I'm sorry, Elma... But there is a limit to how far healing can recover one's state..." Richard told Elma with a grim tone. "But you have at least eased his pain..."

"...Pippin, carry Griffith. We are leaving immediately." Judeau told Pippin, who did so quickly, as the group left the prison cell

"We'll be most definitely found from this." Richard stated. "We must prepare to face whatever forces are going to be pursuing after us."

"I know a place which has a wagon that you can safely store Lord Griffith in." Charlotte stated. "But that alone won't guarantee his safety..."

"Then we'll need someone to draw the attention of the enemies." Gus stated.

"We'll help with that." Reimu stated, turning to Richard. "Right, Raze?"

"Let me join. I will do anything to guarantee Griffith's safety at the moment." Casca interjected.

"I guess that if you're going to cut through the enemy, then I should be at the lead." Guts stated.

"Alright then, it's settled. Elma, Corrin, Pippin and Judeau, find a way to get to the wagon that Charlotte indicated for us, with as little combat and danger as possible." Richard stated. "The rest of us will lure the enemy towards us, so that they will remain unaware of our other plan."

* * *

_Outside the prison..._

Judeau and Pippin split from the group, as they headed for the back alley, which would take them to where the wagon was, while Guts, Richard and the others rushed out of the prison with their weapons out.

"Alright, remember, we need to kick up as much attention as we can to ourselves." Richard informed the others. "Judeau and Pippin won't be able to fight much with Griffith in tow."

"We understand." Corrin stated, with a cold expression on her face. "I... I cannot forgive the people who are responsible for his year-long suffering..."

The group then found that a group of Midland soldiers were approaching them, as the officer noticed them. "I... I know them...! It's Guts, Captain of the Hawk's Raiders, the Hundred-Man Slayer! And with him is Raze, the Bloody Stream of the Hawks!" He declared.

"That's right. And we're here to rescue our leader." Richard responded back tersely, before he zipped towards the soldiers. "Don't believe for a moment that you are capable of stopping us at all."

Richard then cut through the soldiers, before he then plunged his blades into the officer's heart, killing him, as he coughed out blood, before keeling over. As he pulled out his weapon, he then turned his head to the air, and took a deep breath.

"YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF STOPPING US! ARE YOU SO ADDLED IN YOUR MINDS THAT YOU THINK THAT YOU STAND A CHANCE!? IT WAS US WHO TURNED THE TIDE OF THE WAR! IT WAS US WHO CAPTURED DOLDREY FOR YOU!" Richard bellowed to the top of his voice. "A CASTLE CAPTURED WITH SO FEW CAUSALITIES, WHEN HUNDRED YEARS OF YOUR MEN HAVE DIED IN THE ATTEMPTS! YOU ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO US! YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN DEFEAT US BY CLIPPING OUR WINGS! BUT WE STILL LIVE! AND WE WILL DRAW BLOOD IN PAYMENT FOR YOUR BETRAYAL!"

As his throaty bellow crossed the entirety of the surrounding area, the group could hear the collective marching sounds of the castle guards coming towards them, as Gus looked at Richard. "Holy... That was more effective than I imagined..." Gus remarked.

"A well-rehearsed taunt does wonders." Richard stated. "Come on, we need to keep the enemy into believing that we're the ones cutting through the enemy to escape!"

Guts nodded, as the group crushed every enemy garrison in their path, before they found Gaston fighting the enemy, as he took another hidden passage with the Raiders, to reach inside the castle to assist.

"The gates are closed, Captain! To get the wagon out, we need to open them first!" Gaston told the others.

"Leave that to us. You just keep the rear safe with the Raiders." Guts stated.

"Leave it to me! Show them the pride of the Raiders!" Gaston roared, as his men cried as well, before they rushed behind to engage the rear flank of the enemies, as the others proceeded.

"Who would have thought that the guardian angels of our kingdom will become our foes..." One of the Midland officers remarked, before he was then attacked by Corrin, who had a furious expression on her face.

"And yet you betrayed us... Why...?" Corrin asked with pain in her voice, before she then hesitatingly cut the officer down with her blade. "Why did this have to happen..."

They soon managed to break through the enemy garrisons, as they reached the gate where the wagon was held behind. Suddenly, a large group of enemies rushed towards them.

"For the honour of Midland, take them down!" The leading officer shouted.

"They shall not have me!" Casca defiantly shouted.

"I'll cut you all in one go!" Guts roared.

"You will reap the price for turning your back against us!" Richard snarled.

The three of them cut through the entire enemy force together, as the corpses of the soldier were tossed aside in their combined rampage, before they reached the main gates of the capital, their final obstacle in their path, which was guarded by a sizeable force of guards.

"Everyone, just a bit more...!" Elma cried, as she immediately used her magic to heal everyone, before they engaged the enemy force, quickly taking care of them.

As soon the enemies were down, Richard and Guts ran up towards where the gate control mechanisms are, as they slowly rose the gate up, just when Judeau and Pippin came rushing towards them, on their horse-driven wagon.

"The gate is open! We did it! Farewell, Windham!" Judeau remarked, before he turned to the others. "Come on, let's move!"

Richard and Guts came down, and whistled for their horses, which came to them, as they mounted onto it, while Casca, Elma, Corrin, Gus, and Reimu entered the wagon from the back. As soon as everyone was ready, they left through the gates, before the enemy could mobilise a force to pursue after them.

"This really has been one bad thing after another... right?" Reimu sighed with genuine pity.

"I know... And from what Raze has been telling us... It only stands to get worse..." Gus whispered back.

* * *

_In the outskirts of Windham..._

The members of the Band of the Hawk, that have participated in the pursuit, were resting nearby the wagon in which Griffith was stored inside, as they talked amongst each other.

"I don't know the extent of damage done to Griffith's body. But I think that given that he has been taken care of, he might be able to recover some of what he had lost." Richard stated, before he rubbed the back of his head. "But that won't be much... He won't be able to speak in more than mere grunts due to how much of his tongue has been cut off, and he won't be able to walk without assistance. The only good thing I can see from this, is that his arms still can move, as we can see. At least we can be satisfied that his body isn't utterly broken, and neither is his mind."

"But even so..." Casca asked with a sorrowful tone. "Griffith... I can't bear to see him like this."

"And by the looks of it, no-one does." Judeau answered back, before he then looked around. Thankfully, we have the Raiders to be our little squad for the time being."

"Report! We are being pursued, by the Black Dog Knights!" One of the Raiders frantically shouted to everyone.

"The Black Dog Knights!?" Judeau exclaimed, before his expression turned sour. "An army unit drafted from criminals! They're the roughest force in all of Midland! During the previous war, I heard that they were so bad, committing too many war atrocities to count, to both allies and enemies, they were always sent to the furthest frontier. But this is even worse than the rumours said!"

"A unit of criminals..." Corrin remarked, as her expression creased, when she thought of a certain traitor in her mind.

"All men, protect the wagon!" Casca ordered the Raiders, who quickly armed themselves, as did the officers. "Don't let them get close!"

"There's a bridge nearby." Gus informed her. "We can use it to cross, and then destroy it, so that they cannot pursue, without passing through the gate on the other side."

"But who will stay and protect the gate?" Casca asked back.

"Guts and I will." Richard volunteered. "We'll buy you as much time and distance that you will need. But we'll also need traps set, in case the gate falls."

"I will stay as well." Pippin stated.

"I shall assist as well." Corrin responded back as well.

"I understand. Keep the gate guarded, and we'll quickly set up whatever traps we can." Casca stated, before she then got onto the wagon, as judeau went onto it as well, while the rest of the Raiders quickly moved into formation to escort them.

With a cry, the wagon started moving, as Richard could hear the hoof-beats of a large force coming towards them. The group immediately retreated towards the gate, before Richard closed and locked them together. At the same time, Casca set the powder-traps onto the bridge, before one of the Raiders lit it up, as the stone bridge was ripped apart by the explosions.

The group saw that the enemy looked almost like bandits, as their armour looked rusted with blood, and its colour was completely black. As the group fought against them, repelling the enemy away from the gate, they noticed that their attacks were wild and uncontrolled, even desperate somehow.

"What are these guys...!?" Guts exclaimed. "No matter how many we cut up, they just won't give up... Wait, it's the fear...! I can see the fear in their eyes, as they die... They are driven on by fear... But by what...?"

"If they think death is a better alternative than desertion... I would shudder to think who their leader could possibly be." Richard stated. "Either way, we'll find out when they show their face around here."

Suddenly, the leader of the Black Dog Knights rode into battle, jumping down from one of the hills, as he rode on a black horse. He seemed to be a muscular man with a crazed expression on his face, which was more ape-like than human, as his brown eyes were filled with insatiable lust, both for blood and for someone more depraved. He wore a wolf-pelt over his head, as the wolf's snout was over his scalp, and his arms were covered with furred gauntlets. He also had steel armour over he chest and shoulders, although there was no protection around his legs and arms, and his feet were covered with black furred boots. He also wielded a large wooden club in his hand, which seemed to be made of sturdy wood.

"The famous band of the Hawk... I shall have a good taste of them..." The leader remarked with a twisted expression, before he noticed Corrin, as there was lust in his eyes. "Oh ho ho, now that's a good lady there! She looks absolutely delicious!"

Suddenly, Guts rushed up to him, swinging his blade towards him, as the larger man immediately used his club to block the blade, although it knocked him off his horse, although the blade only dug into the club. "Ain't you a lively one! Let me play too!"

"This abnormal blood-thirst... This feeling... it's the same as Zodd!" Guts muttered, before he then struck at the leader, while the others continued to repel the endless waves of Black Dog Knights that were after them. "But why..? Why do these things keep on appearing before me and Griffith!?"

Guts blocked the club swings from the merciless leader of the Black Dog Knights, evading some of them, and countering them with swings. However his strikes seemed to do little against him, as although the blade drew blood, the maniacal club-wielder didn't even slow down. In fact, he only hit harder. After a while, Guts tried to finish them with a downwards strike, which knocked the barbarian down, as he didn't get up for a few moments. Guts was about to turn around and leave, before the pelt-wearing man stood back up, laughing as he did.

"Gooood! Exciting!" He screamed. "This is truly exciting! Let me have some fun here... pretty ladies are most welcome!"

"Damn you, I'll be your opponent! I don't know what the hell you are, but I will take care of you personally! You monster!" Guts cried, as he pointed his blade at his opponent.

"Hm... You act like that you know something. Aha... You must be one of the two that stupid cow, Zodd was talking about." The club-wielder responded back. "Looks like this will be an unexpected festival eve. Now, let's play some more!"

Guts growled, before he then re-engaged with battle with his monstrous opponent, as Richard and the others were still thinning the enemy numbers.

"Why is Leader Wyald being pushed back by that guy...!?" One of the Black Dog officers exclaimed. "If he gets angry... We're all dead!"

"Well, you're dead either way, idiot." Richard retorted back, before he then sliced the officer open. "Because pursuing us is a mistake you won't make again."

Soon, Guts cut down Wyald again, but the leader jumped back up onto his feet, as he cried in arousal about something.

"Yes! Like this! Just what the doctor ordered!" Wyald laughed.

"How many times do I have to put this bastard down!?" Guts exclaimed with frustration, before they battled once again. "Delectable! You're just too tasty! I never thought that you'd make this so enjoyable! I thought this would only be a light snack... but I can't wait anymore. I won't wait until the Eclipse!"

Richard then cut down the rest of the enemies currently on the field, before he then noticed more coming. After considering that they have been guarding this gate long enough for Casca and the others to set the necessary traps to impede the enemy pursuit, and to make reasonable distance from the pursuit force, he then turned to Pippin and Corrin.

"I think that we've held out enough." Richard remarked. "It's time we rejoin with the others, before they get too far away from us."

"Mm." Pippin grunted. "Alright."

"Guts! We're falling back to the wagon!" Corrin shouted.

"Not the... right time... to be asking that..!" Guts groaned back, as his blade was locked onto Wyald's club, before he then pushed the barbaric leader off him, and then struck him down with a upwards slash that cut across his torso, as he fell backwards on the ground. "A good idea, considering that the enemy might have set an ambush for the wagon and Casca. Let's go!"

Everyone quickly mounted onto their horses, before the next wave of enemies could come, as Richard opened the gates, and they rushed through it. As they rushed through, they noticed that Wyald was chasing after them, on his own horse, along with a large group of Black Dog Knights.

"By popular demand. I. Am. Back!" Wyald gleefully cackled, as he darted towards Corrin. "Now then, let me get some of that meat-"

Richard veered his horse towards Wyald, before he quickly swung his blade, severing the horse's leg, and causing both rider and horse to tumble onto the ground, as the two of them sped away.

"Ow ow ow... You got me good! So you're the other one! This is getting fun!" Wyald exclaimed.

Richard then noticed that there was a boulder trap placed on the shorter path, as he waited for everyone to pass by the path, before he then slammed the boulder over the cliff overlooking the path, as it completely blocked off the path, just as Wyald came back, with another horse, potentially from one of his dead subordinates. The Black Dog Knights halted themselves before the boulder, as Wyald slowly trotted towards them.

"What's wrong, buddies? Why are you trembling? The creed of the Black Dog Knights, boys?" Wyald asked his men.

"T-to E-enjoy and Excite...!" One of the men shakily replied.

"That's right. Don't forget it." Wyald stated, before he then turned around. "Now get moving!"

Richard then rushed down the cliff, as he joined the others, just as they passed by a fire-barrel trap. The group quickly smashed the flammable barrels open, as the contents lit the entire area on fire, as the Black Dog Knights that rushed into the area were burnt alive, as the others stopped at the other side of the sea of fire to see if their trap worked.

"This should even stop that bastard, right...?" Guts remarked.

However, Wyald went through the fire, looking completely unaffected by it, although the flames engulfed his own armour and clothing. "Ow ow ow... Just kidding~" Wyald mocked the group, before he then swung his club around, creating a massive torrent of wind that extinguished the flames.

"Damn it... This guy won't stay down and die!" Richard cursed. "Everyone, we need to leave this place as soon as possible!"

Everyone agreed, as they rushed towards where the escape point was, as the wagon was already safely escorted out of the battlefield, although the other officers were still remaining at the escape point, in order to prevent any of the Black Dog Knights from proceeding. From the many corpses that littered the battlefield, Guts and Richard knew that the group done a good job at that. However, soon Wyald came in with his men.

"Heey, did I keep you waiting?" Wyald teased.

"This is not good...!" Judeau remarked.

"No! We have almost made it!" Casca exclaimed in horror.

"Don't think about that now! We need to take care of the enemy before us!" Gus shouted to the others.

Soon, Corkus then rode into the battle, as he brought a sizeable amount of Hawks mercenaries as reinforcements.

"Alright! Listen you louts! All forces, charge to the fore..." Corkus was about to order, before he saw the chaotic battle that was occurring. "...front? Huh...!?"

As the group cut through the group of Black Dogs, with Wyald fighting against Guts again, one of the commanders of the Black Dogs turned to his superior.

"B-Boss! It's no use! These Hawks are just too tough! And they're decimating us so easily!" He pleaded to Wyald.

"Whaat...? But the festival is just getting started... Sheesh, my dogs give up way too easily." Wyald remarked, before he then batted Guts's sword away with his club, and then rolled backwards into the centre of the area. "So now, I guess I should... get this party started myself!"

The barbarian tossed his wooden club away, before he then grunted and flexed his own arms and body, as a familiar plume of grey smoke hissed out of his body, and when it had dispersed, Wyald had transformed into a bipedal ape with white fur, large arms, his pink pecs protruding out. He also had a large mouth just under where the head is supposed to be, with yellow eyes on the shoulder and in the centre of the neck, as the head seemed to be Wyald's original body, melded to his gigantic monster form by the waist , whose spiked hair was white and his eyes were red. His larger mouth let out a bellowing roar, before it then rampaged around the area, crushing Black Dogs and Hawks alike with his attacks.

"Guts, Raze, you can't fight him! We must get out of here!" Casca cried, before everyone retreated away from the area, although Richard and Guts remained.

"Doesn't seem like we have a choice..." Richard remarked to Guts. "Say... Don't you think this bastard resembles Zodd in some way?"

"I thought it was just the blood-lust he was emanating now..." Guts responded back. "But it turns out that he can turn into a monster like him... Or was this his true form all along?"

"That doesn't matter now." Richard replied back. "We need to take him down, or he'll tear this entire continent apart to find us."

"All righty then! Let's give it a go!" Wyald spoke in a distorted tone, before he then stomped towards the duo.

"Zo... Zo..." Corkus stuttered in fear.

"It's like Zodd before...!" Gus exclaimed. "But it's not the same person... Don't tell me that there are more that are like him...!"

Richard and Guts dodged Wyald's heavy swings, as they cut into Wyald's legs and body with each strike, although it didn't seem to do much against him. However, when Richard lured Wyald into charging himself into a tree, it temporarily blinded him, as he looked around for the two of them. He did find Guts striking at him below, as he tried to stomp on him. However, he then felt a piercing pain behind his back, as it was Richard using his twin blades to climb up his back.

"You...!" Wyald growled, as he swung his arms towards his back to dislodge Richard. However, he dodged them by hopping side-to-side and stabbing into Wyald's back, before he then got right up onto Wyald's real body.

"Should have evolved some eyes to look behind you!" Richard mocked, before he then struck at Wyald with his blades over and over again. However, before he could do any severe damage, Wyald shook his off, before he then grabbed the swordsman mid-air.

"Whyy... you... litttllllleeee..." Wyald growled, as his grip on Richard's torso grew. "That does it. You're dead meat...!"

He then squeezed hard, as Richard's ribs and bones began to give away, as he cried out in agony. Guts became enraged, as he immediately stabbed his blade into Wyald's leg, before using it as a foot-stool to jump right onto Wyald's chest, as he used the fur to slowly climb up on top of Wyald, as Guts then unsheathed his dagger on his waist, before then stabbing it through the neck of Wyald, causing the monster to scream in agony, and let go of Richard.

Guts jumped off, as Wyald clutched the wound on his smaller body, with his larger hands, as Guts inspected Richard. He noticed that Richard was breathing faintly, but he looked like that nothing was broken inside of him. Wyald was still flailing, trying to dislodge the dagger in his neck.

"Did I... get him...?" Guts huffed, as Richard slowly opened his eyes and groaned, causing Guts to turn to him. "You okay?"

"Urgh... I'm fine... I feel sore all over, thanks to his tight grip... But I'm alright for now..." Richard groaned back. "Elma should be able to heal me up..."

"Noo! I don't wanna die! Noo-NOO! I don't wanna die!" Wyald screamed in fear. "Hurry up and summon themmm...! The Great Onessss... The Crimson Behelit...! The Egg of the King! Use it...! Call them! CALL THEM...! Our Guardian Angels...! The Four of the God Hand...!"

"God...?" Guts remarked.

"Didn't Casca say... it was Four Angels that destroyed Gaiseric's capital. Could it be...?" Richard muttered softly.

Suddenly, Zodd dropped down from above, in his minotaur form, behind Wyald, as the ape monster turned around. "Wh-Why are you...!" Wyald screamed, before he was then hoisted over Zodd, who grabbed his back with both arms.

"Zodd...! Nosferatu... Nosferatu Zodd...!" Guts exclaimed.

"What do you think you're doing...!?" Wyald asked. "Is... Is this on their orders...!? No... that can't be...! 'Do what you wilt...', that's the only commandment for us, Apostles...!"

"That's right. And if I rip you open here and now... that too is my free will." Zodd ominously responded back.

And then with a single motion, Zodd tore Wyald open, as his guts spilled out, and blood rained down around the ground. Zodd then tossed the torn body of Wyald on the ground, as it remained motionless. Zodd then turned around, as he unfolded his wings to take flight once again.

"...wait! I've got something to ask you!" Guts shouted to Zodd. "What the hell's the Eclipse!? Ain't it this monkey monster thing!? That death you said I wouldn't be able to escape...! Wasn't it him?!"

"That would be too easy for you... You will understand... soon!" Zodd growled, before he then flew away.

Richard and Guts watched as Zodd flew away, as they both felt a sense of dread in their hearts.

* * *

_In a grass field in the outskirts of Windham..._

"You're joking, right...? Griffith is...!?" Corkus exclaimed with disbelief. "Weren't we going to start again...? Huh...? After Griffith came back... weren't we going to start over? All of a sudden, we were framed as outlaws, running around in the woods for a year like bugs. But still, still, as long as Griffith came back to us... After believing that this whole time, this...? Ahahaha..."

Reimu then walked over and slapped Corkus across the cheek, hard enough to spin the officer around.

"Get your shit together!" Reimu barked out furiously. "This isn't the time to be moping around! We're supposed to finding a way to resolve all of this, damnit!"

"But what do we do from here on...?" One of the gathered mercenaries asked.

"It's not like the Band of the Hawk has been wiped out... We have Commander Casca still... But..." Another one stated his opinion.

"Griffith made the Band of the Hawk." Judeau remarked, as murmurs rose from the crowd of mercenaries. "Everyone should realise that. Those who are still here... all the more."

"But... in that case..." A mercenary stated, before Richard stood up, beside Guts.

"Like Rei has said, moping around won't help matters. We will find a way to make this right once again." Richard told everyone. "Even though Griffith is in a sad state, that is no grounds to be giving up yet."

"Raze is right." Gunter agreed. "We must use the time to prepare for our return back to the main camp. Until then, we rest until we are prepared to make the rest of the journey."

Everyone turned their murmurs into agreement, as they slowly dispersed, as Casca turned to Richard, then to Guts.

"I need some time... to think alone..." Casca stated, as she left, followed by the rest of the officers in different directions.

Richard then turned to his friends, after the others have left. "I need to speak to Elma. Alone." He firmly told the others.

"Alright, I think that you deserve that much after everything you had went through." Virion agreed, with a sympathetic expression on his face, as the others left.

As soon as the rest of the friends left, Elma immediately plunged her head into Richard's chest, as she sobbed once again. Richard slowly stroked her head gently, in a soothing manner.

"There, there... Elma... Some things cannot be fixed or healed, no matter how you try... No matter how you wish for it..." Richard softly told Elma. "I can't believe that Griffith would be hurt to this kind of degree... I think that he'll never be able to return to the same person he used to be."

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I couldn't do my best..." Elma sniffled.

"No... That was your best. You did everything you could to relieve Griffith of months of suffering and agony." Richard answered back. "You mustn't blame yourself."

Richard slowly held Elma in his arms, as he turned his head away, with a pained expression on his face.

'_No... It was my fault that you couldn't save him... If I didn't partially nullify your powers... You would have easily recovered Griffith to his natural state..._' He thought to himself. '_But I cannot let you do that... Not yet... Not when the turning point is about to come... I'm sorry that I let you suffer like this, Elma... And I cannot possibly forgive myself. But in time, you will understand that I did this for the sake of ensuring that everyone proceeds along properly, so that our way will remain clear..._'

Richard then looked in the distance. '_Like this... Could I even say that I'm better than the Idea of Evil, and the God Hand at this rate... Even the soon-to-be birthed Femto...?_' He continued, before he then shook his head. '_No... I have to remain strong. I've come this far to ensure that Guts will be able to survive the events to come. And I've changed many things. Adonis's fate... Guts's thoughts on companionship... And many more..._'

He then looked back at Elma, who fell into gentle sleep, as her tears still ran down her cheeks. '_Do not worry, Elma... For when I have ruined a life... I will ensure that another will be spared, to not dishonour the sacrifice I have made by myself so selfishly... When the Eclipse comes... There will be one more fate... One more person who will be saved, and I will hold nothing back to achieve that._'


	8. Chapter 7 (AN Warning)

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 7: The Eclipse where Fate Changes...

Explicit warning: Mentions of uncensored nudity, and rape was be shown in his chapter, along with excessive details of gore. If you do not approve of these themes, then skip the sections that are between the lines with this sequence: [AAAAAAAAA...]. You have been warned.

* * *

_Near the band of wagons that the Hawk were supervising over..._

Richard then looked towards the glowing sun above him, as he couldn't help but sigh deeply.

"...Not long now..." Richard whispered to himself. "Not long until the Eclipse comes... And when the world will finally fall apart..."

He then noticed Reimu walking up to him, as he quickly turned around to face her.

"...It's ready." Reimu answered back, before she then pulled out two large ofuda, that were inscribed with kanji with magic ink on them. "Take one. The others have already placed them on, as you have told them."

"Good." Richard responded back, as he placed the ofuda in his own pocket. "This should prove useful for when the time comes... It's not long now, Reimu. Just a little more, and everything that we have done... It will finally come to fruition. No more hiding our identities, no more holding back."

"I know... But this is the time of the Eclipse, isn't it...?" Reimu stated.

"It is." Richard grimly answered. "When the time comes, I want you to do everything to protect everyone. Slaughter every demon and apostle in the Eclipse if you have to, but no harm must come to either Elma or Corrin, and I don't want to see any of you dead. You are more capable of being able to survive the Eclipse. After all, it is merely a gathering of demons, nothing more, nothing less."

"...We are prepared." Reimu replied back.

"Then you know what you must do." Richard stated, as he stood up, and walked down the side of the cliff he was sitting by. "I must make sure that everything is prepared."

He then walked over to Judeau, who was conversing with his fellow mercenaries. When they dispersed away from him, he noticed Richard coming towards him.

"Hey, Raze... What brings you here to me?" Judeau asked him.

"I just want to say thanks for allowing Griffith to be rescued like this." Richard answered back. "You've done so much, since Guts and I have left, so I just wanted to appreciate my gratitude for that."

"Oh, that's odd..." Judeau stated, as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Never thought that you would openly give me such great praise like that. The plan only worked because of the help that you all put in for us."

"Even so... I guess that you're Casca's right-hand man now, because of your efforts." Richard stated, before he then spread his arms out. "A hug in celebration? I know it isn't much, but..."

"Oh, why not...? I accept." Judeau answered back with a warm smile.

Richard slowly walked over to him, before he softly embraced Judeau. While his arms were around Judeau's back, he immediately slipped the ofuda he was given, right in between the belt sash that he wore, before he then slowly lifted his arms up and opened them, releasing the hug.

'_Sorry, Judeau... But this is for your own good. Just in case the God Hand expect foul play from me beforehand... This should throw them off the tracks a little._' Richard thought to himself, before he smiled. "Keep up the good work, buddy. You've got a long life ahead of you." He praised Judeau.

"Same to you, Raze." Judeau smiled back.

As Richard went past the wagons, he bumped into Guts, as the both of them then looked at each other, before then at Casca, who was sulking beside the wagon with Griffith inside of it, sitting down, with her head down between her legs, and her arms crossed over it.

"Casca..." Guts asked, as Casca slowly raised her head, as her eyes had some emotional pain in them.

"Casca, are you okay...?" Richard asked with concern. "You don't look so fine."

"Hn..." Casca grunted, before she then slowly got up. "Guts... Raze..."

"How's Griffith...?" Guts asked, as Casca turned her back on them.

"He... He just went to sleep." Casca lied weakly, as her voice stuttered when she spoke

"You don't sound like that it was that simple..." Richard argued. "Are you sure that you're alright? Is there something wrong?"

"No... What do you mean...?" Casca responded back.

"Hey, what is it?" Guts asked, as he walked towards Casca. "What's the matter?"

Guts then placed his hand on her shoulder, as she turned around slightly, as he was surprised when he saw that Casca's eyes were glistening with tears, before she then turned away quickly, as she batted Guts's hand away. "No, it's nothing...!" Casca answered back, as she tried her best not to let her voice betray her inner emotions.

"Then why are you crying...?" Richard asked, before his eyes widened in realisation. "No... Could it be Griffith...? What has happened to him...? Has he...?"

Guts then walked over to get inside the wagon, to see how Griffith was, before he was then stopped by Casca grabbing his arm.

"No, wait! It's not that!" Casca frantically shouted, before Guts turned away, as she stopped holding back, tears running down her eyes, before falling onto Guts's chest.

"H-Hey..." Guts muttered.

"I'm sorry... I can't go..." Casca whimpered. "I can't... go with you... Griffith is just so thin... so frail... He's constantly shivering... Griffith, who used to be so proud and mighty... I can't leave him... Not the way he is now... I can't leave him..."

"Guts... What are you...?" Richard asked his companion, before Guts shook his head.

"We talked about leaving together. It seems that Casca has changed a lot. She seems to have interest in me..." Guts answered back, as Richard's expression shifted from his understanding, as he nodded. Guts then turned back to the sobbing Casca on him. "I'm staying too. I will stay with the Band of the Hawk."

She then slowly pushed his way from Guts, as she stood back up, as she stopped sobbing. "That night in front of the Promise Hall, do you remember? That day...? Both of you?" She asked both Richard and Guts.

"I do..." Richard solemnly answered back, before he then bowed his head, realising what Casca's intentions were. "...You want us to leave..."

"You know that you both must go." Casca stated. "If you are truly Griffith's equal, and his friend... Then you know you have to go, even if it means going alone."

"...But you still have me, Guts... And my friends.." Richard answered back, before he slowly raised a hand to his chest. "No matter what happens... I will stay by your side, and we will strive to better ourselves in this cruel world. That I promise you..."

"Raze..." Guts muttered, before he suddenly heard the sound of horses galloping away, as the three of them turned to the source, seeing that the wagon carrying Griffith was speeding away.

"Griffith!" Casca shouted, as the other two ran towards the speeding wagon.

"What the hell? Are the horses running wild?" Guts asked.

'_And so it begins..._' Richard grimly thought to himself. "...That's not right... These horses... They couldn't possibly have run wild on this very moment..." Richard remarked. "It's just... not possible...!"

"Do you think... Griffith heard us just now!?" Casca asked the other two.

"Even if he did... He could barely crawl in his current state... But his mouth..." Richard theorised. "He could have used his mouth to control the reins..."

"Go tell Judeau and the others!" Guts shouted to Casca, who quickly turned away to get the other members of the band.

Richard and Guts got onto the nearest horses they could find, before forcing them to rush after the runaway wagon at full speed.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Guts cursed.

The two of them rushed after the wagon, as it immediately broke apart when a large rock sent the wagon careening over, throwing the bandaged figure of Griffith right into a large lake. When they caught sight of him again, they found that he was sitting in the lake itself, holding the same odd necklace that he wore, although Guts and Richard were certain that he didn't have it before. At the same time, the sun above them began to slowly be engulfed by the moon, as the sunlight was slowly fading away.

"What's that...?" Guts muttered.

"I don't know what it is... But it doesn't seem good... We have to hurry and get Griffith before something ominous happens!" Richard shouted back.

Just far behind them, the entire Band of the Hawk were on horse-back, as they all saw the sun being slowly engulfed, progressing towards an eclipse.

"L-look!" Gaston remarked.

"The moon, it's slowly covering the sun..." Gus muttered to himself. "Is this... the Eclipse...?"

"Griffith!" Guts shouted, as Griffith recoiled, as he tried to back away, as his mouth opened and closed uselessly, before he then saw the Eclipse above him, as his expression turned into silent horror. Both Richard and Guts got off their horses, as Richard sped towards Griffith faster than Guts could.

"Griffith! What are you doing...!? What is that necklace doing in your hand...!?" Richard shouted, as he stepped into the waters of the lake, as the darkness began to create fog, as demonic figures began to appear amongst the water. "Griffith... Something is wrong here... Something is very wrong... We have to go...! None of us are safe here!"

"Huh...? What is that...?" Guts stated, before he saw Richard running along, as if he was ignoring the demons. "Raze...?"

Richard quickly grabbed Griffith by the shoulders, as the disabled leader of the Hawks looked up to him with glazed eyes.

"Griffith...? Thank the heavens nothing has happened to you...!" Richard spoke with relief in his voice. "Don't worry... You're safe here with us... You're-"

He then turned down, as Richard saw that there was blood running down his arm, as Guts was still running towards Griffith. Richard watched with shock, as the blood touched the crimson egg-like being, as it began to shake violently, as its facial features began to slowly rearrange themselves in their proper positions.

"Griffith...? What is this...?" Richard asked him gently. "Why is this thing... reacting to your blood?"

Griffith couldn't answer back at all, as he wheezed in response. The eyes of the small being slowly opened, as blood began to run down its eyes, as its mouth slowly opened into a wide scream. As it did, it let out a ear-piercing scream of suffering and despair, as a large pillar of light struck where Griffith was, before it expanded outwards, blinding Guts and Richard, before then reaching the others, as they shielded their eyes.

When the light dissipated, the group found themselves in a hellish land-scape, where the ground was made up of human-like faces, which were in turn made up of smaller faces, which looked far more grotesque, as they hissed and growled as the horses trod on them, causing the horses to immediately whinny in fear, as everyone stopped their horse where they stood.

Guts and Richard looked around, as Guts's expression was of pure disbelief, while Richard's was of grim acceptance.

"What... is this...?" Guts asked.

"...It's... a living hell... That's what I believe it is..." Richard gently responded back, before he then pointed at the sky, where the sun above was completely engulfed, creating a large eclipse that shone down with its orange halo. "...There... The Eclipse... Now it becomes clear..."

"How could this be real!?" Corkus exclaimed in fear. "This must be a dream! We were all just dreaming!"

"Calm down! Don't think about what you can't understand!" Casca sharply roared to her men. "Focus on what you can do! Take formation now! If we're attacked now, we're all dead!"

As Casca barked orders, Reimu dismounted from her horse, as she gazed over the entire landscape. "What the fuck..." She swore to herself. "Now I understand what he meant by messed-up... This kind of place makes even Makai seem like a land of sunshine here..."

Elma looked around, as she were genuinely terrified by her surroundings, before she was then comforted by Corrin, who was nearby.

"Calm down, Elma... We're here with you..." Corrin soothed her, as Elma quickly held onto Corrin. "...This place... It is truly twisted with horrors..."

"This place... It feels so wrong..." Elma whimpered. "I don't like it here... Please, there has to be a way out of this horrible place..."

"Holy damn... This really takes the cake with the 'creepy' genre..." Antonio stated. "I really don't want to know what twisted mind could conjure up this kind of place."

Guts watched Casca work diligently to calm her men down, as he couldn't help but smile. "She's amazing..." Guts stated, before he turned to Griffith, who was still being held by the shoulders by Richard. "Griffith, are you alright...?"

"I don't think that this would be the right question to ask..." Richard responded back, noticing the glassy expression on Griffith's face. "I think that he's still trying to comprehend what just happened. This most definitely reeks of magic and supernatural stuff... I can most definitely tell. And don't you feel something...?"

"Something...?" Guts asked, before he then felt something that was familiar. "This pressure... It's far more lighter than what it was around Zodd and Wyald... But it's intruding me at every point of my body, like it is trying to slither in and corrupt me..."

"...Same thing here." Richard grimly answered back, before he then slung Griffith over his shoulder. "Guts, a hand, please."

Guts obliged, as the two of them slung Griffith's arm around their necks, as he was lifted by both of them. Guts then saw the spent Behelit that was dangling from Griffith's arm, before he then noticed that there was a crowd of demons above and around them.

"Crap..." Richard cursed.

"The time has come... The time has come..." The demons chanted one after another, all in different voices and tones. "The time for the Great Nocturnal Festival... The feast that happens... once every 216 years! The Eclipse!"

"Eclipse...!?" Guts remarked, before turning to Richard, who grimly nodded in confirmation of what they heard.

"A feast..." Elma remarked, as her fear grew even more. "...No feast... Even for us demons... It couldn't possibly be something like this... It can't be...!"

Gus looked around, as he slowly inched his hand towards his own blade, even though it was not his own personal blade.

"They come... They are coming... They will be here!" The demons shouted. "Be here... Here... Our Masters... the sovereign of the supreme beings! The advent of the Four Guardian Angels!"

Suddenly, there was a loud rumbling noise, as there was distant rumbling ahead of them, as there was a bright light ahead of them, as a large humanoid woman rose from the ground, as her pupils were slitted, and her hair was styled like snakes, not much different to that of the mythological gorgon. Not only that, but she was completely naked, exposing her massive cleavage and uncovered body for all to see. As demons fall down around her, she looked at the band with a cruel smirk on her lips, before she then turned around and unravelled her raven-black wings, which sent a mighty gust down the entire world.

Gunter, Virion and Meiling covered the eyes of Corrin, Elma and Gus, preventing them from laying their eyes onto the bare figure of the female demon, as Richard stared up to her, with disgust in his eyes.

'_Oh, Slan... You never fail to goddamn flaunt your damn body for all to see..._' Richard internally cursed. '_Unfortunately for you, I don't go for ladies who are so shameless and depraved._'

Corkus took a brief glance, as he rubbed his eyes to try and confirm the fact that he was seeing a stark-naked demon lady in front of him, before he then nose-bled hard from his own mind spontaneously going wild from the sight.

Suddenly, there was the sound of laughter above them, as from the skies, the massive figure of Ubik crashed down upon them, as he giggled during his entire descent, causing the less iron-willed of the Hawks to scream and close their eyes and shield themselves pathetically with their arms. Ubik stopped just above them, before he expanded like a inflating balloon, before exploding apart, letting off a loud popping sound and gust of wind, as Ubik reverted to his normal size. He then floated around the entire band, spooking man and horse alike, all while creepily laughing, before he then floated alongside Slan.

From another part of the field of flesh, a large figure rose from the ground, as a loud piercing moaning cry ran through the air, causing everyone to turn their eyes towards where the sound was coming from, as a creature that was seemed to be a being with a human's head attached to a massive wood-louse body, as its face was puffy and puckered, that its eyes were squinted shut, and its lips were locked in a vertical pout. It slowly raised its human arms, as everyone nearby covered their ears, except for Richard, who glared at the being.

'_And next is Conrad...__ And the last of all, but not the least..._' Richard thought, before there was a large dark tornado gathering in the midst of the three gigantic demon beings, as it drew dark smoke from all corners of the field.

As soon the tornado reached a certain size, it coalesced into a large being, a partially denuded skull with a large exposed brain clothed in a dark black long cloak with a high and pointed collar, that covers its entire body. Its skeletal face lacked a nose, and its eyes were stitched shut. As soon the four beings were gathered, the demons in the vicinity all cheered towards them, as if revering the beings right before them.

"Gods... no, demons...?" Guts muttered, looking up at the giant beings before him.

'_Void..._' Richard thought venomously. '_And so, the God Hand are gathered here all at last..._'

"I bid thee welcome, ye lambs of the ungodly gods, and ye outsiders of this world." The centre figure, Void, spoke in a deep male voice, with some nobility in it. "Enjoy this sacred nocturnal festival to the fullest! Thee, honourable child consecrated by the laws of casuality, the Hawk. Thou art the chosen one. At this time, at this place, the one chosen by the hand of the Great God. We are kinsmen, o blessed King of Longing."

Richard's expression darkened hearing those words, but compared to Guts, it was a light reaction. Guts's eyes were twitching with anger. "...No way..." He growled, before he then pulled out his dagger and pointed it at the God Hand. "Cut out your stupid crap!"

"Guts..." Casca remarked, seeing Guts in defiance towards the demonic beings.

"Honourable child!? Kinsmen!?" Guts snarled. "Cut the crap! I've seen this guy naked, and every part of him is human!"

Slan reared her head, and let out cruel laughter in response. "Ahaha... such beautiful friendship!" She stated. "You shall make for an excellent sacrifice."

"...a sacrifice...?" Guts asked, as Richard's other hand clenched into a fist involuntarily.

"Yes... a precious sacrifice for him to become a demon king!" Slan continued.

"From the moment you took possession of that Crimson Behelit." Ubik explained, as he zipped around. "You earned a right to become a demon go. Ehehehe!"

"That Behelit is the Egg of the King, it enables one to be reborn as one of us, the Guardian Angels of the God Hand." Slan sneered. "And the rest of you are the invaluable sacrifices for the Angelic Advent, especially you, the outsiders... You will be most definitely worthy sacrifices."

Richard's teeth grit against each other, at Slan's words, while Gus finally paled, realising what the God Hand meant by outsiders. "No..." He muttered.

Conrad then laughed deeply, as the other demons laughed as well, as some of them licked their lips in undeniable hunger, unnerving everyone below.

"This is a dream. It's gotta be..." Corkus exclaimed with disbelief.

"...By the gods... This is truly horrifying..." Corrin shivered. "Something like this... How could it exist...?"

"You bastards..." Guts growled back. "You're going to change Griffith into a monster? In exchange for our lives!?"

"That's not correct." Slan drawled back. "He will be the one to do it. He will offer you all as sacrifices."

Everyone looked towards Griffith, who silently stared up to the God Hand, as they were horrified at the notion that Griffith was even planning to voluntarily sacrifice their lives, as Corrin grit her teeth in anger.

"That's impossible." Guts muttered with disbelief. "I don't believe you!"

"All lies within the currents of casuality." Void declared in response. "Your wishes are irrelevant. And there is one more thing that I wish to address."

"Ah, that's right, we have a certain someone to thank for how smoothly our process." Slan stated, before her eyes turned to Richard, with a sadistic smirk on her lips. "Isn't that right... 'Raze'?"

Everyone's eyes turned to Richard, who became eerily silent, as his expression was twisted with anger, his breathing deep and hollow at this point. Ubik chuckled at Richard's expression.

"Of course, I never thought that we would be able to find another person that is as ruthless and cruel as we are." Ubik giggled. "It's a shame that you aren't pre-ordained to become one of us... It would be pleasing, considering how you have fooled even your own friends with your own actions, and how you turned your back against Griffith."

Corkus looked at Richard, with fearful eyes. "He... turned his back on Griffith... That can't be right... That kid... he seemed to be quite respectful of Griffith, even when he left...!" Corkus stated. "This... This can't be true, right...?"

'_Fooled... even us...? Richard, what did you do...?_' Gus thought, as he tried to understand what the God Hand were referring to.

Richard slowly rose his head, as his breathing and expression suddenly reverted back to normal, although being so close to him, Guts could feel that Richard suddenly began to emanate a tangible aura of hatred around his entire body. He then slowly turned to Guts, his eyes boring into Guts's own, filled with nothing but cold hatred.

"Guts... Hold Griffith." Richard spoke in a very frigid tone, as he slid Griffith's arm off him, as he lowered it by the tortured Hawk's side.

"Raze... what are you..." Guts was about to ask, before he was silenced, when Richard's eyes hardened even more.

As Guts slowly lowered Griffith down, Richard turned around, before he slowly walked towards the God Hand, before then stopping just in their view, before he then raised his head.

"...What is the meaning of this?" Richard asked with a completely dry tone, which was so venomous that it could kill even gods if words could kill. "Do you intend to tear the curtains drapes off, so that all may see what lies behind them...? You would expose my own actions right before those I trusted, and who trusted in me, in return? Are you so impatient, that you won't let me take the initiative?"

"We have been watching you for quite a while." Conrad boomed. "It is time you come clean before the ones that you have brought here with you. After all, you are well aware of the fate of those who lie within the Eclipse, do you not...?"

Richard went silent, before a few moments passed, before Richard then placed a hand on his face, as he then began to giggle under his breath, before it then evolved into crazed laughter, shocking everyone again, especially Gus, who didn't expect Richard to act like this again. After a few more moments, with everyone staring at him like he was some sort of lunatic, Richard then let his laughter die down, although the twisted smile on his lips didn't fade away.

"Fine then." Richard responded back, with a borderline insane tone to his words. "...Your wish is granted, God Hand. Everyone present will learn who I truly am, before the festivities commence. Only fit to give them a satisfying appetiser before the main course arrives, no? Fine then, you will have it, but let me tell you this in return, God Hand..."

Richard then slowly raised his hand, before he then snapped his fingers, as a large magic circle appeared underneath the feet of the gathered mercenaries, and Griffith and Guts as well, as a large transparent blue domed barrier appeared around the group. And just as suddenly, the barrier was conjured, two large sukimas appeared in front and behind Griffith's head, as large blades began to pop out of the gaps, locking Griffith's neck between the blades, as if locked inside a pair of scissors. Griffith recoiled slightly, at the appearance of the blades, as Guts suddenly felt his legs and arms be swallowed by sukimas, causing him to fall to the ground, his limbs gone to somewhere else. He then looked up to Richard, who slowly lowered his hand.

"You're going to be listening..." Richard responded back, as his tone returned to being frigid. "...And if you try anything... You know what is going to happen, and you would do well to respect the atmosphere currently."

"Raze... What is this...?" Guts asked. "Answer me-"

Richard then turned his head around, to look at Guts, as the latter regretted even attracting Richard's attention, as his expression was truly terrifying, more than even the demons that surround them right now, as his lips were curled in a deep snarl.

"Be silent, Guts." Richard stated. "This is a matter solely between me and them. Yes, this is my act. And don't speak, you'll know as the conversation goes. But understand this... I will not be interrupted right now, not even by someone like you, Guts."

Guts was frozen from the look in Richard's eyes, as they looked like nothing that he ever saw in Richard. Richard then turned around, as he then turned to the God with a unamused expression.

"Now that the proper measures have been set up, let's talk-" Richard was about to say, before a large circular portal into darkness appeared over where the blades were, protecting Griffith from the edge, as the sound of the spatial ripping caused Richard to turn around. "...You think this is the right moment to be fucking around, Void...? You think that I'm going to let you do that again?"

"You will not harm-" Void was about to say, before Richard blared his response.

"CRAM IT!" Richard screamed back, before he then withdrew his blades with a growl. "Fine then. It's not like that you can do shit about this barrier. Fine, I'll let your soon-to-be angel to have some wriggle room. But know this, if you try to even so much as to attempt to interfere again... Then I won't be so merciful to threaten... I WILL carry my promise out, and there will be NOTHING any of you, no matter how powerful you may be, can do to stop me from achieving that. So then... Do we have a agreement, or do I have to carry my threat out to prove that I have no patience with you and your fucking shenanigans. Am I clear, God Hand? Or are you so conceited and self-centred, that you believe I'm below you in any degree?"

"Ohohoho... I like the bite on this one..." Slan chuckled. "...It makes me want to taste his wrath for myself."

"...Very well. Speak then." Void responded back. "But remain aware that you have no capabilities to save anyone here."

"That's for me to decide." Richard scoffed back, before he then turned back to the Band of the Hawk, who looked at him with fear and betrayal in their eyes. "Well then, I guess that it's time that I come clean."

Richard then softened his expression, until he didn't have a expression that would frighten someone off upon seeing it. "Alright then, I will tell you all right now, I have never lied in my entire time here." Richard told them calmly. "But what I did was a form of deceit: Omission of truth. I have never told you the truth about myself or my friends, that stand amongst you. And I have done the same to them."

"I have two separate matters to address." Richard continued, as he bowed his head slightly. "The matter of how I lied to you, Guts, Griffith, and everyone in the Band of the Hawk, and the matter... of how I lied to you, my friends."

"...What are they talking about...?" Gus asked, as he looked at Richard, who were eerily calm. "Richard... tell me... what is going on...? Please!"

"Richard...?" Casca asked. "But your name..."

"...is Raze." Richard answered back. "No, that is merely a nickname that I have used during my time here. My true name... is Richard Liu. Most of my friends' names remain unchanged, like Gus's name is still Gus, and Corrin's name is still Corrin. Others were only slightly altered. Gunther from Gunter, and Rei from Reimu, and Mei from Meiling. The only other drastic name change, is Anthony, whose name is Antonio.

"...What does that mean then...?" Judeau asked Richard. "Could you possibly be..."

"Knowing our real names is a small matter, one that I don't particularly care about, now that the time has come." Richard answered back solemnly. "But the real matter is... our true identities. You may have noticed already many times that we have powers that are not the norm. Reimu's burning tailsmans and Elma's healing magic and blessings. And now, right before you, magic both defensive and offensive, as you can see."

"What are you then...?" Casca asked back. "Are you... demons...?"

"...No, with two exceptions. But neither are any of us as human as you are led to believe." Richard responded back. "Reimu is a shrine maiden capable of spiritual purification and magic, Gus is a master of fire, Corrin is a being born of the martial union of man and dragon, making her a half-ling dragon, Antonio is a sacred being of speed, and Meiling... She is a high dragon. Velouria is a beast-kin, of the wolves. And Link, he is a elven warrior. Corrin, Antonio, Reimu, Velouria and Elma remain human only because of magical disguise. The only ones who are truly human amongst us is Gunter and Virion."

"Wait... Elma...?" Gaston asked, as he turned to a trembling Elma.

"I told you... There are two exceptions to who are not demons among the group." Richard grimly stated, before he pointed at himself. "I am one such being, tainted by darkness, yet touched by light. It could be said that I am both a demon and an angel, before the eyes, had I chosen to reveal myself. Perhaps an fallen angel, considering what the myths of this world has to offer. And the other... is Elma herself, for she is a demon."

All of the members of the Band of the Hawk turned to her, as some of them were horrified and betrayed that their own healer was a demon, while others just stared at her with disbelief.

"Elma... Is this true...?" Casca asked gently, as Elma nodded slowly.

"...But do not mistake as the demons that surround you at this very moment." Richard answered back. "She is a demon that lacks their malice. She is a demon birthed with a pure and innocent heart. She is no more evil than any other kind-hearted human. That is why she never fought against anyone, because she couldn't bear to do harm onto others, so she resorted to healing those who fought for her sake. Her magic is not corrupted by her demonic nature, and there is no consequence for her spells, it merely does what its purpose dictates. Look upon her. Do you believe that she is even related to the demons that surround us?"

"No... I refuse to believe that..." Judeau answered back, shaking his head. "Elma would never do such a thing. She has stayed with us for so long. If she was truly like those demons... Those that she had worked with... They would not be here at all."

"...Thank you... Judeau..." Elma smiled back warmly at Judeau, as Richard gave off a good smile.

"Truly... You all aren't blinded by prejudice." Richard stated. "It warms my heart that you all are willing to accept and compromise."

"But that doesn't answer the big question!" Corkus shouted. "What is all this talk with you relating to these demons!?"

"...That is something that I must ask for you to listen very closely." Richard responded back. "...We are not of this world. We never were."

"What!?" Guts exclaimed. "You're telling me that you have come from an entirely different world from ours...!?"

"That is entirely true." Richard answered back. "We came to this world with a objective."

"What is it...?" Casca asked.

"...That... I cannot say it." Richard answered back. "It is something that I cannot tell any of you, not even to someone that I have bonded long with, like you Hawks..."

Everyone stared at Richard silently, as they were mixed between outrage with Richard's blatant refusal to share his goals, and understanding on the fact that they noticed the pained expression on his face, as if his objective was something that was as cruel as the Eclipse, if not even more.

"...And now, you may be wondering why I suddenly had Griffith held between my blades..." Richard stated. "Why, I... A person who is loyal to the Band and sympathetic of Griffith, willing to care for him, would dare raise a blade to him, threatening to end his life with a single slash, and show no remorse about it. That is the burning question amongst you all, especially you, my friends..."

"...You better explain all of this..." Reimu growled. "...Whatever you have done... It better not be as messed up as I think it will be."

"Fine... I will... Reimu." Richard stated, before he then walked over to Griffith, and grabbed him by the back of his helmet, lifting him up. "...I will tell you this... There is no lie within the God Hand's words. Griffith will ascend as the fifth member of their group, at the cost of all of your lives. Not only will it happen right as we speak... But it was fated to happen."

Richard then turned Griffith around, causing them to meet eye-to-eye, as Griffith's eyes were filled with a feeling of betrayal, as if he was mentally pondering what Richard was doing. Richard stated back at him with sullen eyes. "...And the thing is Griffith... I was one of the main guiding hands of your fate right now..." He grimly poured out his feelings. "Hate me all you want... But I let this happen to you... All so that this very moment could occur."

Griffith's eyes widened, as Guts choked on his own breath, and the entire Band was left in a state of utter shock, especially Richard's friends. Both Slan and Ubik chortled in unison, just as Richard finished his words.

"Truly, you believed that your enemy was just the ones you see before you." Ubik mocked the Band. "But you never expected that it was someone that you have trusted, to have sold you out like this. Truly, this is the purest form of irony for you mere mortals-"

"SILENCE." Richard hissed out, glaring at Ubik with eyes filled with hatred, as Ubik silenced himself, as he began to feel that Richard's very body started to emanate the same aura of hatred, as it began to rush towards him and invade at him on every pore of his demonic body.

"Richard... Why...?" Gus muttered with despair.

"Richard... Why did you do this...?" Link asked, equally betrayed.

"...Richard..." Reimu growled, before she then pulled out her gohei. "...What the fuck... have you done...?"

"...What was necessary, Reimu..." Richard answered back with a torn expression, as he looked over his friends, who were betrayed by his actions and words. "I know how much you must hate me now, and how much you of the Band of the Hawk hate me now. Especially you, Casca. Especially you, Guts... Especially you, Griffith... As much as I hate to admit it."

"Richard..." Guts stated, as he slowly lowered his hand to the organic floor, with pain and betrayal in his expression. "Did you do all of this... just for this...?"

"...I will not lie. Everything that was good and bad, that we all went through together... It is all genuine." Richard answered back. "The bonds that flowered between us and all of you, the battles we fought together and won, the words that we cherished between each other, and the moments that make us feel like the world has turned for the better... No matter what may happen... None of these moments are fabricated. I genuinely cared for the Band and its members, despite everything I have done."

He then turned to Griffith, who was breathing heavily, as his eyes were torn between hatred at Richard for his betrayal, and warmth from Richard's own confession about how he trusted the Band, and worked for their friendship and trust before, and how that it was by no means an lie. Richard then set Griffith down, as he placed both of his hands on the sides of Griffith's helmet.

"...Even when at first, I tried to distance myself away from you, because I knew that you were a lost cause..." Richard responded back, as he let his lips curl into a calm smile. "...After being with you for so long... I couldn't help but pity you, you who would be condemned to a fate like this. And that's when the regrets came. I regretted ever leaving you in the first place, when I could have stayed by your side, and cared for you in Guts's absence. I regretted that I didn't find out about your condition much earlier... I regretted that I left you to suffer and rot for my own devices. Even with these burdens growing day by day... I endured it all, because I knew that if I did not do all of this... Things would have turned out worse for everyone."

"Worse for everyone...?" Judeau asked. "What... What do you mean...?"

"There was so much that I could have done to prevent this. I knew how Griffith would fall, and how he would eventually turn to the demons for his chance to rise up once again." Richard answered back. "With everything I had, I could have prevented all of this from happening. Griffith would have never been forced to seek solace in Princess Charlotte and instigate the down-fall of the Band of the Hawks, or that he would have never had to suffer to the point that he would become the sorry man before me right now. But if I did... What's to stop the God Hand from triggering all of this earlier...?"

"What...?" Guts stated back, as Richard then turned to the God Hand.

"You... You were expecting me to interfere with Griffith's life, so that you would be able to use the changes I have made, in order to hasten Griffith's fall from grace." Richard venomously stated. "Had I tried to interfere with his life that the causality will not bend over for... You could have manipulated the events that come later from this new thread, in order to spin a new tale of suffering for Griffith. The result ends the same, but the Eclipse will come quicker."

"Ehehehe... Quite clever indeed. Now I understand why you have never interfered with the flow of causality." Ubik laughed. "You did all of this, ignoring their plights, so that you could prolong his ascension."

Richard clenched his fists, as Griffith leaned towards Richard, with his arms out. As if he knew what Griffith was going to do, he knelt down, and grabbed Griffith's arms, before he then wrapped Griffith's bandaged hands around his throat, surprising the former Hawk, and everyone present.

"...I know what you want. I can see that hate within your eyes." Richard answered back. "Go on... Choke me as you wish. Even if you don't have the strength to do it, that doesn't mean that you won't try. And you have all the right to do so. I am the source of your suffering, and the reason why you are like this. Hate is natural for someone like you, because you want vengeance for everything you have lost because of me. Then do so... Do so, until you believe that you have done it enough to release your growing hatred for me. I will not resist. If you manage to kill me... Then it will be because you chose it, not because I allowed it."

Griffith tried his best to force his strength into his hands, although he couldn't clench Richard's throat hard enough, although his expression was filled with hate for Richard, as Richard's own was of acceptance and calm. Guts watched the scene unfold before him, as he didn't know how to feel about it, as respect, disgust and worry began to flow through his mind. After a while, Griffith gave up, as he let his arms fall, looking down towards the ground.

Richard then walked past Griffith, as he looked towards Elma. "Elma... One last thing..." Richard stated. "I want you to listen to this closely..."

"...I'm listening... Please tell me..." Elma responded back with a weak voice.

"...The reason you didn't save Griffith back then..." Richard responded back, as his eyes suddenly showed sorrow. "...It's because I nullified your powers slightly, just enough to stop you from healing Griffith fully with your magic. You would have never failed... And that would have ruined things... So the blame for his state... is because of me."

"Richard...? You did this...?" Elma asked, as she became silent. "No..."

"I'm sorry, Elma... I won't pray for forgiveness for this. All I ask is that you understand that you are far better than me, who did this to you so cruelly..." Richard shook his head.

He then slowly turned to the God Hand, as he slowly lifted a hand.

"Are thou done...?" Void asked, as Richard snarled back.

"...As much as I resent you all for this... Yes... It is done." Richard responded back, before he then turned back to Gus. "Gus... You know what you must do."

Gus nodded back grimly, before Richard then snapped his fingers again, as the barrier dissipated at last, and Guts's arms and legs returned to him at least. Guts quickly stood up, as he grabbed Griffith, and glared at Richard, who turned his away with guilt on his expression.

"Then now is the time for the Invocation of Doom." Void declared, as the demons cheered in unison.

"The Invocation of Doom!" The demons cried out in joy.

"Bring the child to the altar!" Conrad boomed, as he lifted his short arms, as the tormented faces below began to writhe, as the horses were spooked once again. And suddenly, from below Griffth, Richard and Guts, as a large portion of the floor below them began to rise sharply into the skies.

"Guts! Griffith!" Casca cried.

Guts managed to barely catch a hold of the rising pillar of flesh, by sticking his hand into one of the screaming faces, while Griffith did the same. Richard, who was grabbing on as well, immediately pulled out one of his blades, and stabbed it right into the pillar of flesh, before then stabbing the other one in. He slowly climbed up, towards Griffiths and Guts.

Suddenly, Guts's footing slipped, as he began to fall down. Griffith then quickly threw one of his arms down, as Guts caught it. Griffith then tried to lift Guts, although his arm came apart with a squelching sound, as the bandages slipped loose, showing some of the blood and the bone jutting out of his arm, causing him to gasp in pain, and drop Guts. Thankfully, Richard quickly pulled his arm out.

"Guts, catch!" Richard shouted, as Guts saw Richard's arm before he caught it. Unlike Griffith, Richard's arm was far more sturdier, as he slowly pulled Guts up, moving him to where his other blade was, as he was holding one of his blades with his other hand.

"...Why did you save me...?" Guts asked with a conflicted expression. "I thought that you would-"

"Like I said... My bonds with you, Guts, is not a lie." Richard stated. "I will not abandon you like I did with Griffith, however much I regret it. I swear upon that with whatever remains of my honour. Use my blade, we need to get up there, before Griffith makes his choice."

"...Fine, I'll trust you, only because the only other thing I have, is a dagger right now." Guts growled. "But don't think this makes us even."

"...I know it's hard to trust me after what I have done... But know this... I will get my revenge on the God Hand, as much as you will soon." Richard answered back.

The two of them slowly climbed the pillar, as the entire construct became a open hand stretching to the skies, as the two of them climbed up its arm.

"Are you afraid? One such as yourself?" Void's voice rang through the darkness. "Of extraordinary beings such as us? Or perhaps of the future that is before you?"

Everyone looked up at the outstretched hand, as Richard and Guts quickly ascended up.

"Pile them up, all that has been left to you." Void continued. "All you have to do, is say the words in your heart. Only say 'I Sacrifice.'. And you shall be granted the raven-black wings upon which you shall soar the heavens with."

Griffith stared silently at the God Hand, who were standing atop the fingers, as he lied in the middle of the palm of the massive hand construct. Suddenly, he heard a cry behind him, as it was Guts calling out his name. Richard then looked up, as the Brand of the Sacrifice, a burning symbol, that resembled a squarish figure-eight, with part of its top missing, and a vertical line striking down the middle of the symbol. He then looked down at Griffith, as he remained where he was.

"Before you decide... Think carefully before you make your choice." Richard answered back, as he eyed each of the God Hand, who made no attempt to interrupt him. "...Is this how far you are willing to go, in order to achieve your goal? Is it truly worth throwing the last people who are willing to care for you? Is your ambition really have more worth than the bonds that you have forged?"

Griffith didn't answer back for a moment, before he then slowly turned his head towards both Richard and Guts, with a grin on his lips. And then, as if Griffith made his choice, Richard felt his lips move silently, as Richard closed his eyes in acceptance.

"I see... Then the choice has been made." Richard muttered to himself.

Suddenly, the hand began to rumble, as Guts darted towards Griffith, crying his name. However, before Guts could reach him, the hand finally curled its fingers, covering Griffith, as Guts tried to force them apart.

"The threads bundled by the laws of casuality have now been bound." Void declared, raising his head towards the burning brand symbol. "The promised time has come!"

Void then lifted the Brand of Sacrifice up, as it then flashed, bursting into so many dark orange wisps of energy, each with the symbol of the Brand of Sacrifice. The branding wisps shot towards everyone, as they struck everyone in different places. Casca felt it strike her in the left breast, feeling a searing pain for a brief moment. Judeau had his on his left palm, Corkus's brand landed on his forehead, and Pippin's brand stuck onto his right arm. Gus felt the Brand sear onto his ribcage, while Antonio felt it fall onto his left leg, Link's brand appeared over where his heart was, Reimu's brand landed onto her stomach, Meiling's brand struck onto her left shoulder, Corrin's brand landed over her right breast, Gunter felt the brand sear over his left eye, although he could feel no change on it, Virion felt the brand burn onto the back of his right hand, Velouria felt the brand hit her on the ear, causing her to hiss in pain, while Elma's brand struck her on her tongue.

Guts and Richard watched as two of the flying brands darted towards them, as Gut felt the brand strike over his jugular vein, and Richard's brand hit the centre of his back. Guts looked at the Brand on his neck, which was still smoking.

"What is this...?" Guts muttered.

"...The Brand of Sacrifice... Now that we have been marked..." Richard stated in response. "...It's time for the demons to finally feast as promised..."

Suddenly, the demons around them began to transform, no longer bearing humanoid forms, as they became more monstrous, of varying sizes and shapes. They soon charged the Band of the Hawk, as they started to tear the mercenaries apart, eating their torn remains.

"You have been marked with the Brand of Sacrifice." Void declared. "The lives of those who bear the brand... From the last drop of their blood... The last moments of your agonising death... will feed life to the new child of darkness... And you are no exception as well... outsiders."

"Damn you..." Richard snarled. "You think that I'm going to let you do this...!?"

Richard then swiped his hand through the air, as sukimas appeared above his friends, as they dispensed their true weapons, as Gus took hold of Etherflame, his great-sword, and Corrin grabbed Yato from the air. The re-armed friends quickly prepared to attack, before they were dropped into circular portals, due to Void's interference.

"What...!?" Richard growled, as he watched his friends disappear, as he whipped his head to Void. "You... You knew this was going to happen... You predicted the right moment that I would be able to re-arm them, so that you could teleport them away from the Band before they could even help..."

"The feast will not be disturbed." Void declared.

"You won't get to any of my friends..." Richard coldly retorted back, as he slowly pulled out both Divine Judge and Desidero. "Especially not Elma... I swore an oath to protect her, from her departed father. And neither will they let you have the chance to feast onto them...!"

Guts was chiselling at the fingers that were blocking his way, with his dagger, as he looked frantic. "Hang in there, Griffith..." He frantically muttered. "I'm going to get you out of there!"

Guts didn't notice that there was a long camel-like creature sneaking up to him, before Richard then darted forward, and beheaded the creature, causing Guts to turn around and see him standing over the demon's corpse.

"Richard..." Guts muttered.

"You idiot! It's too late for Griffith!" Richard shouted, as he then dodged the attack of another demon, countering with a upwards slash that cut the demon open. "Besides, you won't get him out with just your damn dagger!"

"But..." Guts remarked, before Richard then growled, opening a sukima, and dropping his broad-sword right in front of him.

"You need a real weapon." Richard declared. "Now not's the time to-"

Before Richard could finish his sentence, Guts began to hack away at the fingers of the construct with his broadsword. "For FUCK'S sake, Guts!" Richard roared. "You got more pressing matters right now, and you decide to uselessly hack away with your damn blade!?"

"I have to save Griffith...! I won't let anyone get in my way!" Guts declared with determination in his voice, slashing again and again.

"Trying to save him, from what he wants...?" Ubik stated.

"We know you heard him loud and clear." Slan added. "That was his will, see?"

"Shut up! I don't car what you're saying... He would never do this... Griffith... he's my..." Guts declared, as he turned around to face the demons approaching him and Richard. "He's MY...!"

"He's our friend." Richard finished the sentence, as he jumped back beside Guts. "...And I honour him... by protecting what remains of his Band."

"Ohohoho... I don't think that you will find it possible, Richard." Slan mocked. "Most of the Band is already dead, and your friends are scattered to the four-corners of the Eclipse. What makes you think you can save even one of them?"

"You underestimate us, Slan... We don't even have the option of lying down and accepting fate..." Richard growled back. "We are far stronger than what you expect. And you will see that not even the Eclipse will be enough to take us down once and for all."

He then turned to Guts. "Guts... Just this once... Just this once... Trust me and fight by my side..." Richard stated. "We will make it out of here alive, and I will ensure that it happens."

"...I guess that I can't say no to that..." Guts sighed, before he then hefted his blade up. "Fine then, just like old times then."

"Indeed. Think of the demons as experienced opponents. And it'll be all the same." Richard stated. "Together!"

The two of them cried out, as they charged the demons that were climbing up to reach them.

* * *

_In another part of the Eclipse..._

Reimu was tearing through the demons around her, as now that she had her full arsenal of her shrine-maiden equipment, she was ready to face the demons and crush them with her overwhelming power. She immediately coiled back, before she then whipped her gohei forward, as the white paper trails extended, as they struck onto the demons, filled with cleansing energy that seared the demons with white-blue flames.

A few demons tried to approach her from behind, as they growled and gurgled, making the shrine-maiden attentive to their sneak-attack. She spun on her heel, before she then cast out a spread-out burst of ofuda, as they stuck onto the demons, disintergrating them in a holy beam of light, thanks to the spiritual effects of the ofuda.

She then caught one of the smaller demons, that tried to leap to her, as she did a Ascension Kick right under the demon's head, causing it reel back, before she then conjured her Persuasion Needles, and turned the attacker into a pincushion. Not only that, but she also conjured one of her personal yin-yang orbs right in front of her, before she drop-kicked the orb right into the horde of demons, sending them flying, and even pulverising several unlucky demons in the process

"When I'm done here, Richard is so going to get a beating for this..." Reimu growled to herself, before she then heard the sounds of battle nearby.

She immediately took into the air, as she laid down some suppressive danmaku, that impeded the demons' pursuit of her. Jetting towards the locations of the battle, she saw Corrin slaying demon after demon, as there were some beheaded corpses near her, and Corrin looked like that she was completely absorbed in her battle, dodging and slashing without any pause. Corrin didn't look to be unscathed, as she had some gashes on her face and arms, although none of them deterred her ability to fight at all.

As soon the demons around her were defeated, she set her blade down, kneeling on one knee. Reimu then took the moment to approach her, as the silver-haired heiress turned to her. "Reimu... Have you found anyone...?" She asked back with slight exhaustion.

"No... I haven't. Richard didn't tell me that the brain-case had something like Yukari's gaps." Reimu growled back. "I'll keep on looking. These demons are fairly strong, but nothing I can't handle. You...?"

"I am very fine. These are merely glancing blows. I cannot afford to let myself fall at this moment." Corrin stated. "Richard will be expecting us to gather together, while he confront those fell beings himself."

"Yeah... I doubt that." Reimu scoffed, before she then descended. "Mind if you like a lift? I don't think you'll get far around this place on just your feet."

"...Alright." Corrin sighed, before she then took Reimu's hand, as the shrine-maiden were capable of taking flight, even with Corrin weighing her down, as the two of them searched the area. As they did, they saw more of the Band get annihilated and consumed by the endless horde of demons, as Corrin flinched at each death.

"Damn it all... To have such a vile curse to be enforced on them..." Corrin muttered. "...It is truly terrible."

"What's more terrible, is how Richard allowed all of this to happen." Reimu responded back, still sore about Richard.

Suddenly, they heard Casca and Judeau shout, as they were dismounted from a horse, which both the shrine-maiden and the half-dragoness could see. They toppled across the ground, before their horse was impaled by spiked legs, belonging to a dark effigy-like being with sharp and short limbs, as well as a round head that was twitching uncontrollably, with large eyes on the side of its head.

"Reimu...! We have to save them-" Corrin shouted.

"Not enough time... Unless you can pull off one of your magic attacks from here, we're out of options, besides..." Reimu stated, as she threw a series of ofuda danmaku at a winged demon, grounding it immediately. "I got more pressing matters to deal with here! I'll drop you after them, if we get there in time, but not a moment sooner! I'm not about to get myself torn apart, along with you!"

Corrin remained silent, as she watched as the demon's head cracked open, as two large and long whip-like tentacles unfurled out of the inner sides of its head, as they swung around, before one of them thrust towards Casca. Judeau reacted immediately, as he used his own body to block the tentacle, grunting in pain, as the tentacle pierced through his left lung, as he slumped over.

"Judeau!" Casca shouted, as the tentacle pulled itself off with a sickening popping sound, and Judeau's blood spilling out. Suddenly, it then raised both of its tentacles up to strike at both of them, as Judeau shielded her with his own body, as the tentacles beat down on his body, denting the armour and severely beating his body to the point of breaking. "Fool! Move! At this rate, you're gonna...!"

The demon then pulled back its tentacles, as if preparing to pierce both tentacles through Judeau. However, before it could, its entire body was severed cleanly in two, as the demon let out a deathly screech, before both halves toppled to the ground, as the head tentacles turned still.

Judeau and Casca turned to their saviour, who was Antonio, still in his human form, although Excalibur was still in his hand.

"Sup, Casca and Judeau." Antonio greeted them with a smile. "I take it that I've made it in the nick of time?"

"Antonio!" Casca cried in relief. "Thank the gods, I thought that you were..."

"It'll take more than just that to take me down now." Antonio responded back. "Honestly, I tuned down my natural speed significantly just to ensure that I didn't end up being considered some sort of speed demon in the literal sense. Besides, don't think that we're going to hang you guys to dry, after everything we went through together."

"...Antonio... Thank you..." Judeau thanked Antonio, before he then noticed that there was a demon lunging towards the brown-haired sword-wielder, as he immediately reacted, drawing out two of his throwing knifes, and throwing them at the demon. "Look out!"

"Whuh...!?" Antonio exclaimed, before he then turned around, as the demon was slowed down by the knifes sinking into its eyes, as it screamed in pain. Antonio turned around, and beheaded the demon right where he stood, as its massive body fell forward on the ground. "Crap... Saved me the trouble of having to take a hit... Guess that makes us even then, Judeau."

"Yeah..." Judeau nodded, before he then walked for a moment, before he then fell forward, injured severely from the beating before. "Damn it... The wounds from before still haven't recovered... I've still got blood leaking from that wound from before..."

Corrin and Reimu then made it towards where the three of them were, as Corrin dropped down, and Reimu landed down on the ground. "Thank god that Antonio managed to get there in time..." Corrin huffed in relief. "Are you still fine, Judeau?"

"Yeah... Save for a few bruises, half-broken bones, and a hole through my chest..." Judeau chuckled weakly. "I'm fine... I won't be dying any time soon. Unlike Guts, I'm kind of fragile."

"Let me carry you." Corrin offered, as she lifted Judeau up over her shoulders. "We have to prepare for more demons, they might have noticed one of their kin dying right here..."

Suddenly, as if on cue from Corrin's words, a large group of demons arrived, as they charged at the group. Reimu and Antonio responded immediately, as they cut through the demons. However, with how many demons were attacking them, they were quickly surrounded. The demons then rushed towards Casca. Judeau tried to throw his knives at them, although his knives did little to nothing against them, instead ending up attracting their attention towards him and Corrin.

"These demons really don't go down with a knife through their torsos, do they...?" Judeau chuckled awkwardly, before Corrin then leapt back, as she then lowered Judeau down on a large mound. "What are you..."

Corrin then gathered her own power, as her entire body was beginning to shine with dark blue energy, as her eyes began to glow brightly. And then with a loud roar, the energy turned into a massive pillar of light, that transformed her into her dragon-form, complete with her white and dark blue deer-like body and the white wings appearing from her back. She then let out a feral roar, as Judeau looked at Corrin with astonishment in his eyes.

"A dragon... So Richard wasn't lying..." Judeau remarked with astonished eyes.

Corrin then immediately ravaged the demons around her, using streams of water that soaked the demons, as the water seemed to harm them, as her breath of spiralling water tore apart any demon that was smaller than her, and she used her own limbs and maw to brutalise the demons. Not only that, but most of the demons were unable to harm her, as her natural scaled armour protected her from most forms of damage.

However, as Corrin was focused on taking out the demons, she didn't notice a flying demon that swooped up onto Casca, grabbing her, while it cackled maniacally, as Casca dropped her blade during the swoop. Casca tried to wriggle and break free of the demon's hold, with her bare fists, although they did nothing.

"Casca!" Judeau shouted, as he reached for his knifes, and tried to shoot the demon down. However, the knives were swept away with a strong flap of its wings, causing them to sink into the ground. Desperate for help, he turned to Corrin. "Corrin! Casca's in danger, you need to help her!"

However, at this point, Casca was once again lost in her own focus, as her attacks became more and more fierce, as demons were slain by the group from her own attacks.

"Please, Corrin! You have to help her!" Judeau pleaded, although the dragon Corrin ignored him, causing him to take drastic measures, rushing towards her. "PLEASE-"

"Don't get any closer to her!" Reimu shouted, as she broke a demon's head with her gohei, causing Judeau to turn to her, as she was handling her side of the battle fairly well, although she was in no position to help out at all. "If you try to get too close to her, you'll get taken out as collateral! She's too deep in her own instincts to even hear you at this rate!"

"But... Casca..." Judeau responded back, before Corrin blasted a demon that tried to attack him, causing Judeau to jump back.

"Don't worry about her... Our other friends will find her, especially if it's Richard..." Reimu sighed. "Even though he's the last person I want to rely on him with this... He's the most efficient for the job... Because he's more than capable of levelling this entire place if he had the reason to."

"He... what!?" Judeau exclaimed.

"Trust me, I don't think that Richard's going to be holding back any longer..." Reimu stated back. "Just lie back there, and wait for Elma or someone to patch you up, if you fight as you are... You're most definitely going to die, and I don't think that's good for anyone!"

"...Damn..." Judeau groaned, as he laid back down, clutching his bleeding wound. "I hope that someone does save her..."

Soon, Gunter, Virion and Elma rushed into the fray, as they seemed to be attracted by the scene that the dragon Corrin was causing.

"Lady Corrin..." Gunter stated, before he then shook his head. "I suppose that this is the only thing she could do, in order to fight off this many foes as it is right now..."

"It's best that we help the other two out. The lady, in her majestic draconian form, will be more than enough to handle these fiends." Virion added, before he then pulled out his bow, as it began to gather light onto the arrows, as he shot down several of the demons that were surrounding Antonio, as the light arrows brought severe agony for the demons struck by them, causing them to flinch greatly, allowing Antonio to score easy kills with finishing blows.

Elma then noticed Judeau laying in a small, but growing pool of his blood, as he was doing his best to cling onto his own life. She got over to him, as she gave him a apologetic look.

"Judeau... I'm sorry... I didn't know that you were wounded like this..." Elma stated, before she then raised her staff, back in its original form. "Let me heal you up, please..."

Judeau didn't respond back, as he let Elma patch him up with magic, as he felt what strength he had lost return to him at last, and the gaping wound on his chest slowly closed up, as well as his bones reverting back to their original state. Having recovered from the majority of his injuries, he stood up. When he did, he noticed that Elma was far more different, as her robes were far more demonic, and her demonic horns were unhidden. Elma noticed him looking over her, as her expression dimmed.

"I'm sorry... I know that I'm a demon, but I'm not a demon of malice... I'm a demon who wishes for the best for everyone..." Elma stated. "I'm sorry if I lied to you... I was honestly scared what you and the others might think if you see me as I am... But I don't mind if you resent me now, because I'm glad that I was able to help you so much, and I would do so again for you all, because you treated me so well, despite everything I lied to you about..."

"...It's alright." Judeau comforted Elma with a grateful smile. "No matter what you look like, demon or angel, you're still the Saint of the Hawks, Elma. After all, we have you to thank for everything you have done for these four years... And nothing could change that. I know that Richard, seemed to look like that he didn't do this because he liked it, and he did help us as many times as you and the rest of you did."

Elma smiled back, as she felt her heart lift a little from hearing Judeau's comforting words. At the time, the group managed to eradicate the demons that were surrounding them, as Reimu sighed.

"About time I got some help..." Reimu said, before she then looked around. "Have you found the-"

"No, not yet." Gunter stated. "It was a hard journey through this damned land, but we managed to find you by the sounds of battle, and the roars of Lady Corrin."

Speaking of Corrin, she reverted back to her human form after the battle, being fairly exhausted from using her transformation to take care of so many demons.

"There is no time to rest." Antonio informed the others. "I saw that Casca was being dragged to hell knows where, and I don't think that she's going to be in a good state if they get there before we do! I'll get ahead, the rest of you fight your way through! I'll make sure Casca is intact when you guys make it to her!"

Antonio then sped off in the direction that Casca and her captor demon went, while Judeau boarded onto Elma's horse, and Reimu onto Virion's, which put a smile on the flirtatious archer, before the horses sped off after Antonio.

* * *

_Back with Richard and Guts..._

Richard and Guts cut down demon after demon, as they were pumped with adrenaline and the will to survive, as their blades rend the demons apart with each slash. Eventually, both of them were forced towards the edge of the hand, thanks to the demons that were surrounding them. One of the demons managed to lunge at Guts, unbalancing him, and throwing him into the air, as another demon tried to bite him mid-air. However, Guts twisted himself, so that his blade cut open the demon vertically, before he then toppled over the edge of the hand. He tried using his blade to slow down his fall, managing to succeed.

Richard cut through the demons, before then jumping up to avoid the bladed appendage of a nearby demon, before he then darted down, impaling both blades right into the demon's head. When he looked around for Guts, he found him nowhere in sight, before he then noticed a group of demons that were capable of sticking to walls, crawling down from one edge, which alerted him to where Guts was. With a leap, he jumped past the demons, as he flew down. Guts then dislodged his blade, turning around and sliding down the arm, before it then bumped him off, sending him into a free-fall, while he screamed, wielding his blade.

Richard swooped down to where Guts was, as he caught Guts by the hand, and activating his flight quickly, as Guts's fall was arrested instantly. Guts looked up to Richard, who gave him a assuring look. "It's alright, I've got you... again." Richard stated.

The two of them slowly lowered down onto the ground, as their feet plopped into a massive pool of blood, almost as large as a lake. When they looked around, they saw that the source of the lake of blood, was the corpses of countless Hawks, as whatever dead Hawks had the privilege of keeping a fairly large part of their heads, let alone their faces, were frozen in a expression of pure despair and fear, as guts and scattered limbs were also part of the pool of blood.

Guts exclaimed loudly, as Richard gazed over the entire blood lake, before Richard then noticed a familiar body amongst the thousands, as he froze up. Guts then walked around slowly, as he looked around with dread in his expression.

"Isn't anyone...!? Isn't anyone... still alive!?" Guts called out. "Judeau! Pippin! Corkus! Raiders! CASCA...! Where are you... Answer me!"

"I... I think that I might have found one..." Richard responded back, as his face was grim, raising a arm and pointing at the corpse of Gaston just ahead of them, as his limbs were torn off, and a part of his lower face was torn off, as blood leaked from his nose and eyes. Guts rushed over to him, as Richard followed.

"Gaston..." Guts muttered, before Richard then bent down, and slowly closed Gaston's eyes.

"...You were a good man, Gaston..." Richard muttered to himself. "You didn't deserve to die a horrific death like this... Once again... Someone dies from my actions..."

"...What...?" Guts asked, hearing Richard's words.

"...We'll talk about it later..." Richard answered back. "Right now, we need to find the others."

The two of them left the pool of blood, as they ran into a large area, before they found themselves surrounded by smaller demons, before a larger one, which was a anthropomorphic slug with fat limbs and body, all covered with mucus, with large slimy round hands, and a large face, that consisted of a demonic mouth, and a pudgy human face above it.

"Sacrifice... Hehe. It's here... A delicious sacrifice..." One of the demons declared.

"Damn, I still can't believe these demons even exist...!" Guts growled, as he cut down the demons with his blade.

"Now's not the time to be questioning your beliefs! Take care of the small-fry, I'll handle the larger demon myself!" Richard declared, as he charged at the slug-like demon, as it roared at him. "They say that to kill a slug, you need some salt to burn through their mucus... But for a demonic slug like you, I think that purifying salt would be a better remedy for a pest like you!"

Richard then opened a sukima right above the demon, dropping a stream of white purification salt onto the demon, as it began to bellow in agony, as the spiritual properties of the salt, combined with its minor weakness to salt itself, has caused it significant pain. At that time, Richard drew his blade, before he then severed both of the demon's arms, as they fell uselessly to the side. However, the demon didn't seem to be affected by the loss of its arms, as it retreated quickly.

Guts quickly swept up the remaining demons in the area, before he then noticed that Richard was done on his side of the battlefield. Richard turned to him, as they nodded to each other, before they proceeded.

"You're probably clever enough to keep running around somewhere, all of you... That's why I can't find any of you yet... Get out here, come on..." Guts muttered.

They soon encountered more demons, as they cut through them quickly, as Richard summoned a few large icicles to create a barrier of ice to prevent more demons from pursuing them from behind, allowing them to focus on only the enemies ahead of them.

"How long will that last...?" Guts asked.

"Don't worry about that. Just keep on going." Richard answered back, as they proceeded further through the fields, before they found Meiling, Velouria and Gus fighting together, against a horde of demons. Velouria was sweeping through the horde of demons, as her claws diced them to pieces and Meiling's attack sent them flying, or crushed into the ground. Gus's blade was burning any enemies that was struck by the flaming great-sword into ashes, as he even fired off several pillars of flame to take out groups at once. As soon as Gus noticed Richard and Guts approaching, he turned to them.

"Richard! Guts!" Gus shouted. "Are you both alright? Have you managed to find the others...?"

"No, we haven't. That's what we're trying to do right now." Richard answered back for Guts. "It seems that the others might be faraway in another direction, because I can't sense them with my passive sensor right now."

"Either way, a hand please...?" Gus asked back.

"Gladly." Guts responded back, before he and Richard joined the fray, as the five of them made short work of the demons. As soon as they were done, one of the fleshy gates ahead opened, revealing that Pippin was behind it. Guts, seeing one of his comrades was alive, rushed towards him.

"Pippin! You're alive!" Guts exclaimed.

"Wait, I don't sense anything from him-!" Richard shouted, before Pippin was torn apart in two, by large tentacles, as the two halves dangled on them, as Pippin was completely hollow inside the armour, shocking Guts. When he got a better look, he noticed that it was the same slug demon that Richard just fought, as it then opened its mouth and chewed on what remained of Pippin's upper half.

Guts staggered back, as everyone rushed over to where he was. As they did, they looked around and formed a tight circle, as they heard the cries and voice of many demons, as they found themselves surrounded by a multitude of larger and much more deadlier demons. They looked around, as they saw them displaying the bodies of the Hawks that they have killed in a multitude of ways: Their heads in their maws, holding a desecrated corpse in their hands, and various limbs and heads stuck onto their body parts. Guts, seeing how his friends were killed, felt rage, before he then screamed. "DAMN YOU!"

Everyone prepared for battle, before they were interrupted by the sounds of the God Hand speaking.

"The birth..." Ubik started.

"The Fifth Blessed King." Slan continued.

"The New Demon King!" Conrad cried.

"Our new kinsmen..." Void finished. "To wear the mantle of evil..."

Everyone's eyes were directed up to where the massive hand construct was, as the hand opened itself up again. "The Wings of Darkness... Femto." Void declared.

From within the fingers, a silhouetted figure appeared, before large bat-like wings appeared on its sides, as it folded them slowly, before rising up. As it did, it let out a pained cry that sounded like Griffith's, causing Guts to freeze. When it finally rose up, he could see two blood-red eyes staring back at him from the distance, before the figure then spread its wings out again, before then jumping off and gliding down before the group, revealing his full figure.

The being before them was human-like, almost identical to Griffith in figure. There was a large violet cowl over his head, that was shaped like Griffith's falcon-head helmet, and his entire body was covered in purple fabric, with black linings around parts of his body, with his pecs standing out on his body. Not only that, but his feet were four-toed talons, and his back bore a violet cape that was his wings. As he stared at the group, the demons around him began to prostrate themselves slowly before him. Richard stared back, with a scowl on his face, while Guts was surprised.

"Griffith..." Guts muttered.

"Femto... So we meet for the first time..." Richard growled back, before Antonio then flew over the demons, as he landed right between the group and Femto, almost breaking the tension in the atmosphere.

"Whew, I managed to get here fast enough..." Antonio said to himself, before he then looked at the group. "Why are you so serious, Richard? Did something..."

He then turned around to see the emotionless Femto glaring at him, as his expression turned surprised. "...Oh... That's... That's not good... Is it..." Antonio muttered.

"Get over here, Antonio." Richard spoke back in a cold tone, as the humanised hedgehog did so quickly. "...Did you save anyone? Where's Casca?"

"About that..." Antonio muttered back, rubbing the back of his head with a awkward expression. "...I chased Casca all over to here."

"You WHAT!?" Richard exclaimed, before he then turned to Femto, who already pulled a arm out. "Femto... Don't you FUCKING-"

[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA]

Right where Femto put his hand out, the bare body of Casca was lowered down, as she was held by her arms wide-apart by the tentacles of a nearby demon and unconscious, as the Brand of Sacrifice was right above her left breast. Femto then immediately moved his hands slowly around Casca's back, before he then used it to firmly grip Casca's right breast, rubbing it slowly around, all while Femto's eyes locked onto the group without any emotion in his eyes.

"Griffith... stop!" Gus declared. "That's Casca... You can't do that to her...!"

"Shit... Now I know for a fact this is DEFINITELY not Griffith." Antonio remarked, as he averted his eyes from the scene, and turned to Richard. "Richard, we gotta stop this..."

When Antonio turned around, he saw Richard completely frozen, as his eyes were completely glazed over, and his mouth was slightly open. Guts was also shocked, as he looked at Femto with a betrayed look over his face. Antonio's expression froze as well, seeing what had just happened to their leader. "Oh... shit." He muttered.

"Hey, cut that out right now! You have no right to ravage her body-" Velouria shouted, as she charged forward with Meiling, as the two of them rushed towards Femto. However, as they tried to do that, they were suddenly pinned down by a large demon whose body is rippling with muscles.

The demon immediately pinned the both of them down, as Velouria tried to claw herself out, only for her claws to fail to do anything, as she roared in frustration. Meiling was about to break free with her own strength, before several more demons surrounded her, pinning her limbs down, preventing her from breaking free at all.

"Velouria! Meiling!" Gus shouted, as he drew his blade. "Damnit, I won't let this happen before us-"

Suddenly, Gus's limbs were wrapped by several long tongues, as they caused Gus to become unable to move at all, and Antonio suffered from the same fate, when another demon created several globs of slime that stuck Antonio to the ground, with his blade clattering on the ground.

"Oh, this is not a good way to go!" Antonio complained, as he tried to break free of his bindings, although to no avail.

"Ggggh...! Damn...! DAMN...!" Gus cursed, as he tried to move forward, with all of his strength, although he couldn't move far with the tongues binding his limbs.

Femto then moved to using his other hand to intrude onto Casca's privates, as his clawed finger slid into Casca's clit easily, as Casca moaned in pleasure, before several more tentacles parted Casca's legs apart enough, for Femto to fit his entire hand in, in order to rub the entirety of Casca's vagina. Guts snapped out of his trance, as he quickly grabbed his blade.

"Stop! What the hell are you doing!?" Guts growled, as he rushed towards Guts. This time, a demon with a massive jaw filled with sharp teeth chomped down on his left hand, causing him to scream in pain, as he was dragged back. He began to huff, as he watched Femto lower Casca down, making her face him.

"Richard...!" Gus shouted. "Do something! Why are you standing there...!? We need you to-"

"Don't bother..." Antonio told Gus, as he turned to the humanised hedgehog. "Richard... He's completely out of it, he's literally just BSOD'ed right before us."

"What the hell!? I thought our damn leader was too strong-willed to be broken by something like this!" Velouria growled back, as she continued to struggle against the demon pinning her down.

"...Wait... I think I can understand what caused this..." Gus stated, as he realised what just happened to Richard. "Could it be... Oh no... No, is... Is Femto really going to-!"

Casca then slowly opened her eyes, as she saw Femto looming over her. "Griff... ith..." She uttered softly, as if she believed that the person before her was Griffith himself.

Griffith then slowly lowered himself, as his lips neared Casca's own...

* * *

_Footsteps..._

_'We need to run...! Over here, we'll be safe here!'_

_'R-Richard... Why did you come back for me...!?'_

_'Shut up! I don't care what they plan to do with you, but you won't go anywhere... Not as long as I am here to protect you...! I won't let them get away with this!'_

_'Richard...'_

_The sound of thrusters blowing onto the ground below..._

_'Oh look, we found some more stragglers...!'_

_'What...!? Wait, they've found us already...!? DAMN IT ALL! You need to hide! They're going to...!'_

_'I... I understand...! Please don't...!'_

_'How sweet, you're willing to protect the princess with your life. Well then, boys, let's get to work.'_

_The sound of blades unsheathing..._

_'YOU WON'T TOUCH HER, YOU BASTARDS! PREPARE TO DIE!'_

_The sound of energy being blasted from many plasma cannons..._

_Grating metal..._

_Cries of death, accompanied by the sound of flesh thumping onto the ground..._

_'DIE! DIE! DIE! All of you, DIEEE!'_

_'Richard...! Stop! You can't fight like this any longer...!'_

_'Watch me...!'_

_The sound of metal flying through the air could be heard._

_'This person... What is he...!? He's just as strong as a Alpha-Level Kaiju...!'_

_'Boss, he's right on me...! He's right on me-'_

_The sound of a large explosion._

_'You're next...! You'll all be dead, before I let you even get your hands on the princess...! I know your squad... She will absolutely not be taken by you...!'_

_Suddenly, the sound of thrusters approaching, accompanied by the sound of some sort of frame shifting and transforming..._

_'Detected Priority Target... Initiating full-burst form...'_

_'One of you...!? Damn it all...! I won't give you the chance!' _

_The thrumming of a large magic circle, accompanied by the sound of a large particle cannon powering up..._

_'Eat this! DECLARE SPELL CARD! ARCANA BEAM!'_

_The sound of two large powerful energy blasts colliding with each..._

_Then the sound of a massive explosion, followed by the sound of someone falling onto their knees..._

_"Hah... Hah...Damn it... How did one of the Lunarians find us... All that work to get us hidden under the radar...' _

_'LOOK OUT!'_

_'Hah...!? ARGH!'_

_The sound of something hitting the side of a building, before the sound of something straining under the tight grip of something powerful..._

_'Damn punk, I'll crush you to a pulp...!'_

_'GYAARGHHH!'_

_'RICHARD!'_

_'Hand over the princess, or I'll crush you!'_

_'Fuck... you... I'd sooner die... than hand her over to the likes of you...'_

_'You'll sing a different tune, when I start bursting some organs. I gotta tell you, the grip on this beauty is quite strong, and it's precise as well. So how about I crush some bones to make a point...'_

_'Bastard... AAAAHHH!'_

_'STOP! PLEASE! I'LL COME BACK! PLEASE, LET HIM GO!'_

_'No... you can't...! They'll...! They'll...!'_

_'Boo-fucking-hoo. I don't care about your sappy relationship. All I want is the princess.'_

_'She isn't yours, you depraved piece of shit... I'd sooner kill myself than let you get her!'_

_'Sure will be nice to grant your wish, kid. You're a feisty one for sure. Would have liked a man of your calibre in our band. But I guess that's just fate as it is...'_

_'Fate... DON'T YOU DARE SPOUT THAT SHIT TO ME!'_

_The sound of metal being bent apart..._

_"What... How did you...!'_

_'Fuck off!'_

_Suddenly, the sound of someone dropping at a super-fast speed... And then the sound of several blades piercing through flesh..._

_'Gck...! You...! YOU...!'_

_'At last we managed to chase you down... It's a disgrace that we managed to let you run away with our princess, you absolute impure filth.'_

_'Yorihime...! Damn you...! You won't take her, as long as I breathe! I will crawl through the hells for any chance to take you down once and for all!'_

_'How deluded you seem, to even believe that you have the chance. Take that barrier down.'_

_'Princess... Kaguya...! RUN!'_

_Suddenly, the sound of someone being caught, with a female gasp accompanying it..._

_'No...! NO...!'_

_'Princess...!'_

_'How humorous... You tried to take her away, only for you to inevitably fail. Tell me, Richard, what is the point of this little 'game'? Do you think that you can win against this entire world...!'_

_'Shut up! I refuse to lie down and die like a castaway dog! I will use every single last ounce of my own strength and will to bring you and your sister down to hell where you truly belong!'_

_'Oh please... You think that you'll be able to bring Gensokyo back? I just simply let your friends indulge in their true natures. You should be thanking me for opening your eyes to the pure truth...'_

_'You manipulative and sadistic bitch... I'll end you...!'_

_'Although you lack the strength to achieve your revenge, you constantly impede in our plans over and over again. You are a truly troublesome pest, Richard Liu, one that is equivalent to Yukari Yakumo. At last, I will bring down your judgement, your final sentence, for all of it.'_

_'Go ahead... Finish me off, it's just one more notch on your mental kill-count, is it, Yorihime...? I bet you're cackling with glee that your nemesis lies down, defeated, under your foot. But know this, even if it takes eternity for me to return, I will come back, and I will exact my revenge on you, and nothing will deter that final curse onto your head.'_

_'Finish you off... Oh no, that would be a far too lenient of a fate for impure filth like you. I never knew how to break you all this time, but I think that the means have currently made themselves present.'_

_'What... What are you talking about...?'_

_'My dear man... Get off that mech, I got a gift for you... Soldiers, release the princess.'_

_'Wait, what are you... Oh gods... No... NO... NO NO NO NO NO...'_

_'...So the big cheese of the Lunarians appears before us, or one of them. How do you do, your Pure Highness? To what pleasure do I owe for this gift?'_

_'I have a simple task for you, commander. All you have to do, is to indulge yourself with the princess, right before here.'_

_'Yorihime...!'_

_'You bitch...! Don't you dare! Kaguya doesn't deserve to be treated like this! How dare you force your own princess to such a fate!'_

_'We don't need a intact princess for our plans. And like I said, I WILL break you, and I will enjoy every last moment of it.'_

_'No...! NO...!'_

_The sound of someone running away, before the sound of some sort of binding erupting from the ground, then the sound of someone being tied to the ground._

_'...I... I can't move...!'_

_'Kaguya...! KAGUYA!'_

_'Woah, woah, you're actually telling us to rape your princess...? Are you sure that you ain't pulling my leg right now? Isn't that some sort of high-form treason against your race?'_

_'Oh, if you are concerned about witnesses...'_

_The sound of energy blasts being heard... Then the sound of bodies hitting the ground..._

_'It's taken care of... Now then, I give you an opportunity. Don't be afraid... Indulge yourself... I could care less for what happens to the princess. In fact, if she's broken... All the better to prevent her from escaping like this time.'_

_'Yorihime... why...? You killed your own soldiers...?'_

_'Heh... A traitor like you couldn't understand anyway. Purity requires sacrifices, without question or hesitation.'_

_'...You're absolutely disgusting, Yorihime...'_

_'Heh, then witness a much more horrific act then! Now then, shall we begin...?'_

_'...Well, going to die either way, if I know you devious types well. May as well stick it in a nice woman like her before I die then. Thanks away, lady Yorihime.'_

_'Heh heh heh... That's right...'_

_'...I'll kill you...! I'LL KILL YOU ALL! WHEN I COME BACK! I'LL CLEANSE THIS EARTH AND MAKE YOU ALL SUFFER FOR THIS!'_

_'Threaten all you want, a crippled dog can only bark at those who abuse it.'_

_'...Damn you... Damn you...!'_

_'Watch closely, Richard... Watch closely, as your one love is desecrated before your very eyes...'_

_The sound of clothes ripping off... Then the sound of non-consensual sexual abuse could be heard._

_'Richard... Don't look...! Don't look, please...!'_

_'Kaguya... No... Please... No...'_

_'Hahaha... Now you see... You are always weak, Richard... You never had the power to protect anything to begin with...! And now watch where it brings you...! You should have accepted death and dignity when I annihilated Gensokyo. And now... You'll die with this torturous memory burning through your retinas.'_

_'...Yorihime...! I'll end you...! I'LL PERSONALLY CAST YOU IN THE SANZU RIVER! I WILL NEVER DIE! I WON'T ACCEPT THIS! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS AND ALL THE ATROCITIES YOU HAVE DONE! YOUR GODS WILL BE NOTHING COMPARED BEFORE MY INFINITE WRATH! I'LL TEAR YOU LIMB AND LIMB AND CARVE THAT TWISTED SMILE YOU SO ENJOY EXPRESSING RIGHT ONTO YOUR FACE, AND I'LL STRIP YOUR VERY FLESH DOWN TO THE BONES, KEEPING YOU ALIVE TO SUFFER EVERY MOMENT! I WILL REPEAT THIS AND MORE OVER AND OVER, UNTIL YOUR DEPRAVED MIND WILL KNOW NOTHING BUT PAIN AND AGONY!'_

_'My, still so mouthy. But I guess that from the look on your face... I've done quite the job on you. Farewell, Richard. May we never meet again.'_

_SHINK!_

* * *

[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA]

Before Femto's lips could even touch Casca's own, he felt something strike the centre of his face with such velocity that he was thrown across the entire area, almost flying through the air. He immediately righted himself, before he then saw his aggressor right before him: Richard, whose eyes were filled with feral rage, as the irises have turned a dark purple, and his entire body was emanating a visible aura of darkness from his body, and his teeth were bared so tightly, that his gums were bleeding profusely, causing blood to leak from his mouth, as his blades were in his hands, and Desidero was emanating darkness much like Richard was.

"...Richard...?" Gus asked, before he then regretted it, as Richard's darkness pulsated outwards, causing the nearby demons to cower at the immense pressure that he was giving off, infusing a sense of fear and inferiority before the enraged being that stood amongst them.

"Ho͠w ̀d̸a҉r̶e ͡you.͘.. ̶HO̕W̢ ͘DA͞RE YO͡U.̧.͟.." Richard snarled, as his voice was distorted again. "Y͞ou d̵a͘re̢ ͠fl̡a̡uņt yo̧ur͡ ͏l̸ust͡ b̕ef̛o̵re ̕me, ͘F͢emt́o..̕.͞!? You͞ ҉wil̸ļ pa͠y͞ ͟t͜he ͞u͝lt̵i̵ma̸t͠e pr̢ice ́f̕or̢ ͞t͟his͡.͡.͝.̧"

Guts looked at Richard, who looked like far more demonic than the actual demons that surrounded them, pausing for a moment, as he was chipping away at the demon's teeth in a attempt to free his arm before. "What... What is this...?" Guts muttered.

"So... The outsider shows his true nature..." Void remarked.

"Such darkness and despair emanating from him... It is absolutely delicious...!" Slan moaned with pleasure. "Now I wonder why it was not him that was preordained to be a God Hand...! He would be a far better candidate!"

"But it was not ordained by Casuality, so it cannot be." Ubik genuinely sighed. "But even someone like him... cannot hope to fight against a being that has transcended the mortal coil..."

Femto slowly rises to his feet, as he looks at Richard in silence, Richard was still gnashing his teeth at the demon lord that tried to rape Casca just before. He then raised his right arm up, as Desidero was pointed horizontally.

"Al͝l o͡f yǫur̛ minion̷s̡.̷.. ̡Oh̶,͠ ho̡w th̨ey bo҉w ͝fo̢r the n҉e̕w ͟k͝i̷ng̛." Richard snorted back, before he then slowly twisted his blade around. "̕Too ba̷d ͡t̡h̛at ͜t̵he͜y̧ w͡ill̛ n͜ot͡ ͟li͠v҉e͞ ͜a si͢ngle̶ ̕m͢o͜ḿe̵n̢t m͘or̨e. ̡Bec̨a͠ưse ҉t͠hose ͜wh̵o íncur my ͞wraţh͜.̀.. ́Ar̸e ̷n͜oth̕ing ̷but d̀oome͡d͏.̀"

Gus then realised what Richard was going to do, as he quickly flipped himself down on the ground. "DUCK!" Gus screamed.

Antonio immediately did the same, using forward momentum to get himself on the ground, while Guts was forced to duck down, his arm still clamped between the demon's teeth. Velouria covered herself, as Meiling put up her arms in defence.

And then, Richard swiped his blade in a full revolution horizontally., with a loud whooshing of the wind. When he came back around, he then flicked his blade down, as the demons that surrounded them were cut completely in half where his blade pointed, slaughtering them all in a single blow. The consequence about this, though, was that Guts's arm was also caught in the attack, severing it cleanly right down near the elbow joint, as he stifled his own pained screams, and tried to staunch the bleeding from his stump.

"Now ͜th̛a͞t̶ ͞yo͘u̷r͘ ̡'s̶ub̷jects̀'͞ ͞ha͟ve be҉en e͝rad͘i̡c̸a̡t͝ęd,҉ t̷h͘ér̡e̶ i̶s no̕-o͞ne̕ to̸ i͏n͏terf͞ere̛...̸" Richard declared, before he cocked his head towards Void. "͟O̢r̛ ̡per͟h̵a̴p̵s ͠ýou̕ ̕hav́e͘ lit̡tl̛e ͢f͏a͘i̧th͘ ͠i͘n y͘our͜ ͘ne̷we͏s͠t ̨m̶e̡mb̨e̸r,҉ ͢Vo̵id̀..͠.̧?"

Void remained silent, before Richard slowly turned back. "Go̶od̸.̛ Y͢o̶u k̕now ͜t̕ha̛t y͝o̴u ha̢v̨e̷ no ͠m̡ȩa͟ns o͞f ̵in̵t͡erf͞er̸i͢ng wi͏th th͢i̵s.̴ A͝n͝d ͟n҉either do͏e̡s y̨o҉u̕ŗ c̀o͘m̀ra͝d͜es͝ h͞a͢v͝e ̢the̴ ́sa̛me meáns͡.̢" He scoffed. "I m͏ùst͢ ̶ap̕p̡l҉aud y͞o͡u͘, Fem͞t͜o͏. ̷Yǫu ͜ąre̶ ̕t̵h̨e f͡i̢rśt̵ ͘pe̡rson͝ ̶to̸ h͏a̶ve̴ ̢d̴riv̵en me ̕to̴ the p̢o̸įn̵t of͢ ̕ra͢g͟e̶, wher͢e ͜Į r͢e͡m̨ąi̧n ̀b͘òth coheŕe͠ńt̨, ̢b̸u̡t̢ st̡ill̶ b̀ùrņin̡g̀ wi҉t͞h a͡ rag͢é ̷f̶ar͢ ҉mǫr͡ę da͟m͢ni̡n͝g ̕t͘h̀a͟n t̷he̵ n̷ińȩ ͞cįr̢clès̶ ̀of̷ h͢ell. I̸f́ ̨y͝o͜u̢ ̢c͠ould͟ ͘sp̨ȩak, I ͢would͢ ͠l̡ik͟e ̀to ͝h́ear̨ y̸oúr ̢opi̴n͝i̶ons o҉n̴ th̴is ma̶t͟t͠e͠r."

Richard then slowly sheathed his Divine Judge, before Desidero enlarged into a long katana in his hands. "H̨o͝w͝ev҉er͘,͞ ̨you͠ are ̷w͜e͠l̴l awa̵r͘e͠ ̵o҉f̶ tḩè fact t҉h͞a͢t I̵ ̷caŗe̢ not̀ a̧b͞o̡u̵t̨ ̕y͞o̴u̵r ҉o͝p̡inio͟n͘.͏ ͜A͞l̶l͡ I ͢ca͟ŗe͢ ab̷o̧u͡t...̷" Richard stated, before he then darted forward. ".͟..is͠ ͠y̡ou͟r͢ ́deat̵h!͝"

Before Richard could strike down on Femto, he was immediately stopped right before Femto, as if he was being restrained mid-air by some invisible source. Richard didn't react at all, as he stared blankly back at Femto.

".͝..̸Childi̧sh͏.̢.̀. ̵You̷ t̡h͜ink th͢a͞t ͞ŕe͞s̨t͠r̕a҉in̸ing͜ m͠e͡ ̨wi̢th you͠r ̕g҉r͏avi͞t̴atio͠na͘l͞ ̡m̢a̸gi̵c̷ will ͟ren͠d̡e͡r̸ ͜me ͘c̡omp̡le͡t͞eĺy͏ ͡h̴elp͏l̛es͝s." Richard responded back, before he opened his other hand. "͝.͝..Y̷o̷u are mos͝t ̀w͞r̸o̴n̶g͟.͏ ͟B̴e͘cause ͠b̡y uti͝ĺi̶sin̵g ̷yo͟u͟r͞ pow͏er̡ sòle̛l͠y to͜ ͜re͢p͡e͡l̀ mè.͜..͏ ͡Y̛o͘u̸ h̀a̡ve͝ ͡left͜ yǫu͞r҉s҉elf̷ ͜ungu̴àrdeḑ.̢ Now ͏p̶aý the҉ pr̨ice ͝fo̶r i̵t͜, a͟g̨ąi̕nst ̛a̴ ̸opṕo̵ǹe̵n̡t ͞l̕ìk̢e my͘s҉elf̡."

From Richard's palm, a blast of light struck Femto in the face, causing him to reel back, temporarily blinded by the light-elemental attack directly to his face, releasing his hold on Richard, who then rushed towards him again, before decking him with a spin-kick right to the kick sending him back. As Femto skidded backwards, Richard fired a barrage of fire-balls right at Femto, as they struck him over and over again.

"Y̛óu̶ ̡l͏a̕c͢k͞ exper̀i̛en̴ce̸ in͞ ́y͟ou͝r ͏p̛o͜w͘ers̀,͜ ̡and͘ s͜o ̨y̷o̡u̶ ca̛ņn͡o͢ţ ̡ho͢p̨e ̴to̶ ́d̵efe̷a͜t ̴mé ͏wḩe͠n I͝ ͡have ͢n̡o͜t tap͡p҉ȩd͢ ̷i͡n̵tǫ ͢t̕his҉ f̡o͠r̨bi͠dḑeń ̡p̛ower̛, ĺe͠t ͏alo̸ne wh̨en I̧ do͘." Richard uttered, as he then switched to sending icicles raining down on Femto. "It ̵i͞s͢ ͏a ̴s̷ha͢me...҉ t̕ha̧t͠ y̷o͘ur̨ first c͟o͟n̛quès̷t͡ en̷ds͡ i҉n pa͠ţhe̷ti̛c fa͢i͡l͘ure͘. ͡W̡h͢at̀ ̴a͘ sh́am͡e, ̷t҉hat ̢y͝o͟u ́h̀a̵ve͡ sa͢crifi̵c͘ed ͢ever͠ýt͢h̴i͢ng͝ t̵o͘ ҉g͝a͏i̡n͟ p̨ow̴e̸r̸ ţh̷a̡t͜ is ̨no͜t̡ s̴u̷f̨f̀ici͡ęn̴t enou͟gh͞ t͠o̴ s̡u̸r̶viv͘e ̡m͢y ͝w͠rath̴."

Femto then raised a hand, as the severed corpses of the demons around him, began to tremble, before they then flew towards Richard, crushing them between him. Femto then slowly clenched his fist, as the ball of flesh slowly compressed under the force of the massive gravity pushing into it, as the ball of flesh and blood slowly shrunk away into nothing. After it did, Femto released the grip in his hand, as he looked at it, as if his act intrigued himself.

However, before he could do anything, he found Richard's blade piercing right through his abdomen, as the dark swordsman was behind him.

"A̕nd ҉l̷i͠k̶e̴ I̛ s̶aid.̀ You̕ lack̴ exp̴eri̸éņcę to fig͏h͢t͜ as̛ th҉e ͠demon ļo͜r̵d ͘y̴ǫu͠ a͢r͘e.̢ ̵I alm͠o̵s̷t̨ pity ̧h̕o҉w͢ ea̢sy̸ t͡his b̶at͡tle̸ h͟a̧s͢ ͠b͡e͡com̨e. A̸l̀most ́i͜s ͠t͟h͠e ͏k͝ęy̵-wórd̕ ̀in͞ ͏m̨y ph̶r̸a̢śe.͜" Richard whispered into one of Femto's ears.

"How did he managed to bypass his own divinity...!?" Ubik exclaimed, genuinely surprised at the turn of events, as how Richard was slowly defeating Femto.

"In̶d́e͞eḑ, ̸Úbi͜k҉.͟..̡ Tḩat ͜is҉ ̵a ͞mós͞t̶ ̷e̴n̷i͜g̀mat̕ic̀ ͏qúe̴s҉t̡ioń.͜ ͏F͘or͘tu̴n̕ąt́e̶ly͜, ̀I ͏sh̡all ͏gr̢a̴ce yo̢u ̸wi̴th an̕ ͏answ̶er." Richard responded back, as he twisted his blade deeper into Femto, causing the newly-minted God Hand's expression to twist with pain, before Richard pushed him down on the ground, belly-first. "̷Y͡ou͡ s͜e҉e, e̡v͢ery ̨forc͜e͘ ͡ḩa͟s̡ a̕ o͞ṕpo̡site, lig͏h͏t͜ t͏o ͝daŗk̀n̶e͟ss͘, ̴fi͟re to w͢ater, ͠ev̶il͞ ̢to ́go͝od, or͜d҉er̨ ̡t͘o c̷ha̵os. ̕I ̕p̴o͞sse͘s͘s w̢it́h̷in ̛me̸ ͟a forc͞e t͜h͝at͝ ̢s̶t͝ands͡ ͘aga̛i̷ǹs҉t́ ̷di͘v҉i̷ni̛ty̡,̕ ͜i̢t'̛s҉ ̀an͏ti-̸t̸h̡e͘si̶s.̕ ͡S̶hr҉o̴uded́ ̶w̨i͏th ͝suc̨h ̵p͟o͝w͜e͡r, ́wouļd ͢it̀ ͡b̵e ̕i͝r̵ra̸t͞iónal̀ ̧to ̶sa҉y ̴th̸a͡t͏ my ̶o͏wn͘ at̕ta͜c̡k͞s͘ ca͡n̨ ̀p͠ier̸c͟e͠ ̵di̵vi͜n̴i̷ty͘ l͜i͏ke̴ a͝ ͝kn҉if͏e͝ t͠h̵r̷o̧u͘g̸h ͡c͢lơt̕h̛..̛.͘?̡ T͝h̀a͡t ̷l̵ieş ͢y̛o͟ur͡ an҉s͡w̧er.̢ B̵ec̡a̸us͟e͡ y͢o̡ú tr̸y͏ to͠ ̶s̸h͠r̀oưd ̢y͘o͡ursel͏f͡ ̸i̷n͡ ̢d͞i͡v͞i̧n͡it͢y͝.̨.̨. You̢ ̕gr̶o̷w com͏p̡lacent̶,̀ b͜eli҉v͝ing̶ ͘i̢t̸ w͢i̢ll̨ ҉p͢rot̢e̴c͟t y͢o̷u.҉ B̸ut the͘r͢e i̵s no͏ ̷su͟ch̡ t͢h͜in͝g ̀as a͢ abs̀o̧luté de͟fence̶. ͝E͠v͘er͡y͘ ̨wall ̀h͞a̧s ̡ìt̶s͟ crac͝k͜, ̀ęv̕ery ̢sḩiel̨d ҉h͡a͞s it͘s̕ de̸n͢t,͡ ̧ev͠éry͡ barri͟er̛ ͜ha͏s҉ i͞t̀s ̷l̛imi͜t.̷ ̧But͠ ́I ̧ti͡r̶e͠ o͝f͞ s̨pe͡a͝k҉i͘ng abo͟uţ t̵hi̶s̷."

"My my... It seems that we picked up a real dangerous one, at that..." Slan chuckled, biting the tip of her thumb with eagerness. "Now I want to know how it'd feel when he runs his blade through me."

"H͢o̧w ͢d̕ep̶ràv̶ed, Śl͠an͘. P͝erhaps̨ ͢on͏ę day͝,́ ͜I'͏ll ͢gra̷nt̴ ̸y͝our͜ lu͏st͝f͝ưl̵ ͢wish. Bu̸t un͢t̨il th́e͜n, I̵ ҉ha̡v̢e̸ ̢not҉h̢i̵n̴g̀ to w͢a̢s͞t̵e ͏on ̀yo͠u. Į ha͡ve no in͢te͟nt́i̡on͘ ̨of ̷topp̢l̸ing͞ ̡t̶h͢e G̀od̀ ́Ha͠nd. ̧Fe͜mto ̸wil͘l҉ ҉n̡ót di̸ȩ,҉ bu̶t he ́will ͘l͝e̛árn t̢ha͡t̢ ̡t́here͢ lie̡s̵ ҉an̢ ̛en̛em̵y ͟to ͟hįm,̨ t̢hat ̶d͘e̡f̸i̛e͡s̷ ̡h̡is̡ ͠am͘bìt҉io͜n̕. ̸An͜d̸ he ͡sh̡al̷l ͜be a͜ ̨e͜xąm͝p̀le ̛t̛o y͞ou a̢ļl͢.͜" Richard stated, before he then slammed Femto's head right down on the ground, dazing him before he could have the chance to attack. "D̀o not̢ t̸r͡y̡ ̢to̶ a͠ssu̶m̡e ̢t̢h͠a͢t͟ my͟ ͡p̶r͏i̕o̵ŕ ̨c͟om͞pl̵ia̧nce̸ ͏m҉ean̶s ̸th̕at I ̶am w͟ea͏ķ,̕ i̵n ̨ei͘t͟h̢er ́wi͠l̵l̵, m͟ìn͠ḑ ̴or͜ b̴od͠ỳ.͝ I͘ ҉ḿe͠r͏e̵ļy ̶followe҉d ̷y̛our ģr̨an͜d̴ d̡es̴ign̕, in ̶o̧r͜d͟er͠ t̀o͜ e҉nsu͏r͢e ̀that͜ y̵ou͘r ̡p̢lan͢ ̢w̛ilĺ ̛run ̵a͠s ͜it shoul̶d, an͞d ̵n͏ot́ eǹd ̸u͡p runni̧ng͏ fa͠s̴t̢e͞r̸ ͜as yo҉u͘ pre̴d̛ic̡téd f͟rom͢ mý ińt̸erf̛e͜r̀en͘ce̡.͡ N͡ow̛ ͞that̸ yoù ͜hav́e ̸ỳo̢u͞r҉ ͏God͠ ̵H͞a͝nd͘..͢.͜ ͜Oúr͘ unsp͡o͢k͢en͠ cont̛ŗact h̛as en̨ded.̡ ̸F͟ro̶m ̸thi͢s ̕m̕o̷me̕nt́ fort̶h͏..̛.́ I w͏il̀l carve͢ ͠ou҉t͠ ̕a͢ new ͜fa҉te, and̸ ̛y̷ou͜ wi͢l҉l͝ no͏t stop m̡e̕, ̷le̷st I̡ di̶r͜e̢ct̢ the͘ ̢w̛rat̡h ͏b͢ac͟k͏ t̡o ̸you̢ and y̨o͏ur ̷m̷achin͞a͞ti̴ons.̨ You ͢seę h̡ow̨ ͘eas̀i͟ly I͠ ҉could̸ ́ha͡vè ̵un̢don҉e ýòu̸r p̛l̡anş, s̵o͞ yo̷ù ͡wi̵ll͜ r̴e̸spect m̴y ̵w͟ish͜es.͜..҉ ̧Òr̸ e͡l̷se.̸"

The God Hand silently looked at Richard, as more demons approached, and tried to attack the one who dared to harm their new king, only for them to be torn apart by Richard's magic, all while Richard's foot remained atop Femto.

"Trul̡y..͟.͠ T̴h͜i͏s ͟is a͘ pa̕t̷h́èti̡ć o̡ưtc͘om̨e͏,̸ ̛e̸v͠e͠n und͝er my ́d̡e͏fi̷n̕i͢t̷io̸ns̛. ͞It m̶att̵ers̡ ̢no̢t͞. ̷He ̨sh҉a̶ll҉ ͡com͏e̵,̴ a͡ńd ́th̕at̕ s͞ha҉ll͞ b̛e ̀m̨y͏ ̛qu̧eue ́to e͘xit yo̴ur ͝fea̷śt. ͡I̶ h̵ave d̴one͢ ҉en͏ou͝gh t͢o ̴pŕo͝ve m҉y͏ po͡įn̕t̕.͠ D͜o ͢n̨ot͢ ṕrovòkę ͢me͠ ͢f̷ur͜t͏h҉e͘r,̵ ̛and ̷all̛o̕w ͡me ͟tò e҉x͡it g̕rac͢e̛f̸ull͏y.͟ You̶ ͜w͟ou͟ld n͟o͜t wi͢sh͟ for̕ m͜o͟r̸é ͠of ̴y̷our̕ ̕de̵ąr ͢a̶p̷ostl̶e͡s̛,͢ th͢ose ̡w͜hi͘c̨h ͡wi͠l̢l̸ be ȩs͠se̵n͟tial҉ tơ youŕ p̴la͠ns,̨ t̢o be͢ eradicate̶d h͡e̢r̷e ͜a̛ǹd͘ ͝nów̸, ͠do yo̕u..͟.̛ ̴Void?" Richard sighed deeply, as he looked towards his friends, as Gus was helping Guts up, while Velouria and Meiling kept guard around them and Casca, and Antonio was already off, looking for the others.

"...Indeed, that is the best outcome that can be derived from both sides." Void stated. "But tell me, Richard. Who is this He that you speak of?"

"R̡a̴i̢s҉e͜ ̶yo͢ưr͢ heads͘ ̵to the̢ dev̨our҉e̸d moo҉n̴,͡ Gǫd̛ Ha͠n̕d̢.̧ An͘d y̧ou͏ w͝ill̴ ̵b͢ear ̀w̴it̶nesś to hi̡s͠ ̨arri͜v̵al t̀o thé ̸f̶east." Richard responded back, pointing up with a smirk on his lips.

The God Hand did so, as they watched as the moon above their heads fracture apart, before exploding in a bright burst of light, as the Skull Knight descended down on his horse, towards Void. He then swung his blade down at Void, who conjured a portal where the blade swung down on, as the portal swallowed the blade. The Skull Knight then used the shield on his other arm, to deflect the blade sent back at him. He then ran down along the finger of the hand construct, cutting down several demons along the way, before landing down where Richard was.

"...You seem to be tainted with darkness, and yet your mind and soul remain fairly intact." The Skull Knight remarked.

"Thi͘s͏ ̷i҉s͞ ̸n͟o̢t ͝of̴ y̨o̡ur co̸n͞c͜e͡rn̕, K̷nigh̴t ǫf the͞ Ţwil͡i̵g̵h͘t.̴" Richard replied, lowering his eyes to look at Femto below him. "̕Fe̡mt͜o ͜has͘ ̀pe͢r͡so̸n̕a͡l̷l͏y͡ ͜s͘i͟nn̡ed͞ ̧aga̡i̸n͏s̕t ̢m͝e.͝ ̡As͠ m͞uc̛h̛ ̧ąs͘ I͜ wis̸h t͘o͜ e͢xe͘c͏u͜te͏ ̵hi̧m ̷wh͢e͝re h̛é ̕s̸tan̸ds͟ ̡f͞or̵ ́thís ̴gra͞ve҉ o̶f͟fén҉ce.̷.. I ̸s͏h͝ąļl ͞lȩt͡ h͠im ̢l҉i̛v̕e, o̶nl͏y ͏to̴ ̀g̶iv͠e ͢the ̡Go̕d͢ Ha̴nd̷ à ́f҉i͟naĺ ͞a̕ct o̧f m̡er̀cy be̷fòr͜e͠ I͠ tru̸l͞y sever͜ ͘m̨y ties ̨w͘i̡th̨ ͟t̵h̢ei͝r ͏a̴c̶cùr̢se̕d̢ ̴desig̢n."

He then gestured towards Guts and Casca. "҉Take ͢Gu̵ts̴ an͜d̴ Casc̴a͝.̧ My ͠fr̢i͝eńḑs ͘are ͢not ͝o͝f͏ ̕your҉ ̸con̶ćern͘ ̛e̵i̷th̵e̸r.̧ ̸The͝y̷ w͜iĺl b͢e sa̸f̷ely ͟whi̶şk͝ed ͟aw͝a͘y̛ ̨fro͟m͢ ͘he͏re w͠it̢h ̵m͢e̛.͞" Richard responded back.

"...As you wish." The Skull Knight responded back, as he dragged Casca onto his horse, and Guts approached him.

"Hey, what are you doing here...!?" Guts exclaimed.

"Like your friend has said, you need not worry about it." The Skull Knight answered back. "Come, we will leave the Eclipse together."

Guts looked back, before he solemnly nodded, already tormented enough by the events of the Eclipse. Boarding onto the undead horse, the three of them left the Eclipse through the very same point that the Skull Knight breach through. As soon as they did, Richard then took his foot off Femto.

"Iţ seems ͜wh͟at ҉l͢itt̶l̷e ̡of҉ ̷our ti͝m҉e t̡o͘gethe͢r ͘has c͠o͞me t͜o͟ a e̕n̛d̵.̛" Richard remarked, as he chuckled lightly, echoing slightly. "He̶h̛ ͡heh͜.̨..͞ ̛I͡ wo̕n͟der ̧h҉ow̷ yo҉u ̕f͢e̷el rig͜h͏ţ ͏n͞o̷w̸,͢ F͞em͝to.͜ D̡o y҉o̶u f̷ee̕l ̧r͜a̴g̡e͘,̷ at̶ ̀ho͠w̡ e̵a̶s̡il҉y I̢ ̀ha͠v͡e̶ p̕r͢ov͟en͡ ͝yo͠ur ͠s͡uperior,̀ ͡t͘h͠r͏oug̕h̴ ͝forc̴e͜, òr̕ ͜a͝re͠ y͟ou ͜dìśa̸p̀p̕oint͡ed͡ ̷at m͟y͢ rea͟c̕t͢i̧o҉n ̨t͠o̶ all o͝f͞ this͝?͡"

He then turned to the God Hand, as he snapped his fingers, as sukimas swallowed every one of his friends, including those who were still fighting the demons, teleporting them out of the Eclipse, leaving only Richard in the dark realm for the time being. "E̸ithe͡r ̶wa͏y͜, I ha̸ve͝ ͡n͟o̶ ͏r͏e͡ás̀ơn ͘t̕o r͏em̕ai͡n ̕h̀e͏re̢ ̨a͏ny̧ ̷lo͜n҉g̢ęr̛.͏ ̕A͝ fi̵n͝a̸l͜ w̷a͜r͟ning ͢t͝o you, God͟ Ha͠n͜d.̢ ͜T̀he͝re ͟ẃíll̀ ͝be ̛a̸nothe͏r ̕fa̶te̡ ͢c̢ha̷ńg̨e͠d͠.͘ Wheth͝e̢r i̴t̨ i̛s ͡of you҉r̡ ͞con̴cer̵n̨ ͢or ̸n̕ot, ̀I ͢w̶ill ͝m̧a҉ke̶ ̷t̕he c̷ha̛n͠g̷e̸, ̴a̵nd҉ ̨yo͜ú ͠w͟i̷ll̢ h͘a͝ve tǫ ͡br̀i̵n̢g̷ ͘yo͜ur̢ ̛ow̧n͝ pl̢ans ̕to͢ r̢uin, ̕if you͡ ev͝en h̨o͞pe͝ t̕o s̵a̧b̸o̷tag̕e҉ ͡me͞.̵ Bùt ҉t҉h́e͏n̡ ̧a͠g̷ain̛.̴.҉.͠ ̶Mos͢t̡ of̶ m̛y ac͘t̀i͠o͘ns wo̧uld ̴b͏e ̶incons͢e͟q̴ue̷n̨tia̴l ̶t̸o̕ ҉the p̛r҉o͢g̕re͟ss o̷f y͟our d͜esign,͘ ̛d͞oe͜sn'͝t̀ ̷įt?" Richard called out to the God Hand.

"We will await with bated breath, dear Richard." Slan chuckled. "You have just become more and more interesting. I wonder how it would be like for you to break. Surely it will be the most pleasurable experience that I could have had for centuries."

"You can try,̨ ̸an̸d̴ ýo̸u҉ ̧wil̛l ͏fai͝l̷.̵" Richard stated, as he opened a sukima under his feet, as he slowly sunk into it. "_J́a ̢ńe,͞_ ҉G̶o͡d͝ H̷and͜.͜ Fo̶r both̢ ͘of ͏ou҉r ̛be̷n̡efi҉t̴s,͟ ̢l͢et͝ ús͢ h͏op͘è th̷ąt ̡we̸ ́do͏n̕'͟t ̷c̢o͏m̕e ͟t̶o ͏b͠lows̸ l͘ik̀e t̨h͘i̷s̕ a̧g̨ain̨. A̷ft̛e͟r ̸all,́ ̀I̢ ͏did ąlm̧os͡t̛ ͏k̴i͠l̛l̕ ̷you̡r̡ ͜la͟t̀e͠s̢t m̨e̶mb͘e̢r, b̡e̴cau͡s̶e h̕e ̨was ̛f͏o҉olis̨h͢ enoug͠h͡ ̢to ̶in͢cu͟r ͜my da̷rke̵r w͜rąth. ̶Hop̢e̸ thát͝ y͢ou̕ ͘g̷iv̢e̢ m̛e n̵o͢ mơŗe rea͠son̛ ́to se͢ek̷ ̡any͠ of ̕you."

Richard then completely fell through his sukima, as it closed itself up before any demons could reach it. Ubik then began to laugh, as he was quite amused by the events that just transpired.

"Fascinating! How unforeseen! What we thought would have been the end of the outsiders, has turned into the very opposite!" Ubik remarked. "Who knew that this being known as Richard, would have acted so unpredictably, that we were forced to watch his actions!"

"Ufufu... We cannot predict everything... Especially not the mind and intents of a twisted person that is far demented than that of a simple mortal..." Slan chuckled. "After all, we are not gods. But tell me, Void... Had the outsiders have not warped the threads of causality so strongly, what would have been the outcome of all of this? Would the young warrior that was Guts manage to take free of his fate...? After all, Richard's own fate has now melded partially into his own, like a life-line."

"...This is a unprecedented chance. However, we cannot risk wasting our efforts on a unknown variable in our timeline." Void stated. "But even so... We will have to treat the situation more seriously, now that we know the extent of which he could derail the seemingly unbend-able threads of causality with such actions."

"Either way... His actions are not enough." Slan sighed. "Time has already begun to flow once more. And the Fifth Angel has been born."

"Then let the time of darkness descend." Void calmly said. "An age where darkness shall eclipse the light. In times, men will perhaps call it... The Age of Darkness!"

* * *

_Outside the field of the Eclipse..._

Rickert looked up to the massive tornado that was rippling around the entire area, as he was very close to it, hiding behind a large rock. He was concerned about how the rest of the band were.

He then saw a flash of lightning within it, before the Skull Knight came out, holding both Guts and Casca in his arms. When he saw the bloodstained body of Guts, lacking an arm, and the naked body of Casca, both of them unconscious, he was shocked severely.

"Guts...!? Casca...!?" Rickert managed to called out, before the Skull Knight slowly lowered the both of the down on the ground, before he then trotted away slowly. Rickert then approached the both of them, as he tried to shake them awake.

Suddenly, Richard and his group all appeared through a series of sukimas, as Gus, Velouria, Meiling, Antonio were standing around, looking around for something, while Reimu crashed onto the ground, letting out a quiet curse under her breath, as she got back up, while Gunter pulled on his horse's rein to stop its charge, while Corrin, Elma and Virion landed on their feet. Last of all, Richard dropped down onto the ground amidst all of them, on his feet, as his body was still emanating darkness, and his eyes were still purple. Rickert noticed their arrival, as he was shocked that Richard's entire group were all here, fairly uninjured, before he then saw what Richard was like, as he felt a sense of fear permeate his mind, and a chill run down his spine, looking at Richard.

Richard turned to Rickert, before slowly approaching the young Hawk survivor, and knelt down. "Ri̷c͡kert̛..͡. ̛I͠ am ͝t̵rul͡y̧ gl҉ad t̵haţ y͞ou a͢r̷e͠ ̴fi̢ne͞.҉" Richard responded back, giving off a calm smile, in a attempt to assure Rickert.

"R-Raze...!? What happened to you...!? Why do you feel so... dread-inspiring all the sudden...?" Rickert responded back with a stutter, before he frantically turned to the others, who turned their attention to either him and Richard, or both Casca and Guts on the ground. "Where's everyone else? Where's Griffith? What happened to Guts and Casca? What's going on!?"

"Ỳou w͠il͞l neéd ͏to͟ l͡ist҉ȩn ͞t̴ó a ͠l͏oǹg t̢a͠l͝e̡,̧ ̵b͟efǫŗe ͞y̧o̧u̶ ͟c͘a̵n ͝beg̵i̛n͜ ̛tơ ͞u͏ņd̕e͜rsta͞nd ́w͡h̶a͜t̢ has҉ t҉r͝u͢l̢y̷ ̷h͡a͏p͘p͜e͡n͘ed͏. ͜Ho̶wever͡,́ t҉hęr͝e̶ ͜ar̢e ̕brie̵f̵ ̛a̢ns͜wers͝ ̛for͘ ̸whatev҉er ̕qu͝e̕s̢t͟i͞on ̢y͝ou͟ m̧ay͞ have." Richard answered back, before he then noticed what Rickert was talking about in his former question. "͢D̕r҉e͞ad͢-inpsi͠ri̴ng.͠..?͞ ̨Ah̷, ͠t̸h̀at'̀s ri͞g͡h͡t͢... ̢I͘'m̢ s̨til̢l li̶ke͜ ̢t̨hi͠s. M̀y ̸a͠p̛o̷logi̢es͏,͢ ̷I͡ mi͜gh̨t ҉nee̕d̴ ͠t͠o̵ ̷rev͢er͜t̸ ͜my̛se̷l̢f.̴ ͠H͞o͠w̡ever͡, do҉ing ̴so wi͢ll ̵rend̨e̸r͟ me in͠ deep s͡lee̴p̛ ́fo͞r̶ t́h̡e ͢t͝iḿe be̛i̧ng.͝ W͝h̸e̷n҉ I n͟e̸x͜t w͟a̷k̡e ͢ùp... I hope t͝hat̶ ̡y̕o͜u'͠rè ręa̧d̵y ̀f̵o͜r̀ ̴w̵hat yǫu̵ ̵m͏ight nèe̢d͏ to͘ h͞ear̸."

Richard then closed his eyes, as the aura of darkness immediately vanished away, all traces gone as if it never existed at all, before he then slowly slumped to the ground, onto his knees, as his body and head lolled forward greatly. The others took this chance to get to Rickert.

"Rickert...? Are you alright...?" Elma asked, before Rickert turned to her, with a shocked expression, which she expected, considering her current appearance. "...Yes... I can understand why you're looking at me like that... But I... no, we... we can explain it all later. I'm still the same Elma that you made a friend of. I promise nothing has changed."

"...Elma..." Rickert muttered, before he shook his head. "No, I'm fine... But Casca... And Guts..."

"Casca seems to be alright. But Guts..." Elma stated, as her tone then became solemn. "I tried to heal him, but I could only heal his wounds, not his lost arm."

"...I see." Rickert stated. "Is Pippin with..."

"I'm afraid not." Gus answered back, before he turned to the others. "Meiling, heft Casca and Guts up. Velouria, carry Richard."

"Richard...?" Rickert muttered, as he was confused about how they referred to 'Raze'.

"Like Richard may have told you, it is a long story." Gus responded back, as Meiling and Velouria hefted their respective members. "But I should start off with something. The reason why Pippin is not here..."

Gus then sighed, placing a comforting hand on Rickert's shoulder, preparing himself to start telling the horrid truth behind the previous events.

"...That's because they're all dead. The Band of the Hawk... It has been eradicated entirely."

* * *

A/N: Well, that was a real trip there. First time I actually used explicit content in a story chapter. Luckily, the only detailed act that Femto did to Casca was fingering her vagina. I try to keep it to a minimum, but considering that this IS Berserk, this kind of thing is inevitable, even when you try to up the censorship on this. I hope that this doesn't put a bad taste in all of your mouths because of how this chapter is portrayed.

A/N 2: An additional note, as you may have guessed, the several changes that happened here will have a major impact to canonical events down the line. Consider a Guts who keeps both eyes, a Casca that isn't raped silly, and Judeau who is still alive... And you might have an idea what possibilities could lie in wait. Hence the title for the chapter.


	9. Chapter 8

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 8: Aftermath and Promise

* * *

_Inside a small cave..._

On one side of a worn-down wooden table, Gus and his group silently waited for an response from Rickert and Erica, as well as Judeau, who regarded the group with a grim expression. Gus's expression was also grim, as he looked at Rickert, whose emotions were completely in turmoil.

"...Gus..." Rickert asked, as he looked around at the group, who were mostly in their true appearances, save for Antonio, who was still human. "...I want to know what happened... What you told us the day before... Was it all true...? The Band..."

"...is gone." Gus finished the statement, with a solemn nod. "You, Casca, and Judeau are the only original survivors of the band. Not even your sworn guardian, Pippin, was spared from the bloodbath we have witnessed. I have witnessed him die before us... And I dare not speak of how his death came to be."

"No..." Rickert responded back with a shuddering breath, as tears leaked from his eyes. "This can't be true... Tell me that this isn't what happened."

"I'm sorry, Rickert." Judeau stated, placing his hand on Rickert's shoulder. "It was a miracle that you weren't dragged into all of this. What we saw... It was something that no-one should ever have to experience."

"Either way, the Band's gone, save for all of us here." Reimu sighed. "At least there is some hope. Casca's all fine, despite being played around by that demon, Guts just lost an arm, which we managed to patch up as best as we could, and Richard's all fine, just soundly unconscious for the time being. He'll wake up soon, considering how I know him."

"...What about Griffith?" Rickert asked back.

Gus looked at Judeau, as the both of them were in a silent exchange of thoughts, before Judeau nodded his head, as if allowing Gus to speak about something. Gus then slowly took a deep breath, before he then spoke.

"Griffith... He's... He's not in good shape. The demons have managed to get to him." Gus admitted. "They have corrupted his very soul. He's no longer the same Griffith that we used to know. Right now, there's only the godly demon that bore only his ambition and tenacity... The Wings of Darkness, Femto."

Rickert silently turned his head away, as he was struck hard by the news. "I see... So that's what happened..." He said to himself. "At least the only demon that was with us was Elma... And I believe that she's not like those demons that you told me in all of your accounts of the events inside that massive tornado."

"Rickert... Judeau..." Corrin told them, as she saw a sorrowful expression on her face. "I can only ask you to try and forgive all of us for failing you, failing the entire Band, by letting them die like this. If we were more prepared... Then we could have saved more people."

"No, you've done enough." Judeau answered back. "It was thanks to you that I managed to survive. I was prepared to lay my life to protect Casca, but then Antonio managed to save both of us at the last moment. But even so..."

"...I can sympathise your feelings right now." Meiling answered back. "Our friend was responsible for letting all of this happen, and even if we weren't aware of it, nor did we play any part, we partly share the blame. You have all the reason to distrust us, Judeau. Most of us are demons and monsters in our own way, and considering what you have seen, it would not be a stretch to say that we could have been the same as the demons there, toying with your bonds and emotions."

"But I assure you, Judeau, Rickert." Link answered back. "We are the same as you, no matter who or what we are. We are no different to who we are in personality and spirit. I still retain the same justice and kindness that you have seen many times before."

Judeau nodded slightly, as he sighed deeply. "First we find ourselves in a realm of demons, a nightmare of itself, and now we have to deal with you all, a group of people who are considered to be mythological beings. I'll tell this clearly: This won't be easily resolved."

Suddenly, the group heard shuffling beside them, as they turned around, seeing that Richard woke up shortly after Judeau's words, as he slowly eased the blanket wrapped around him, and stood up. Beside him was Guts, whose severed arm was tied up by slightly bloody bandages. Richard then stood up, as he rubbed his eyes slightly.

"...Ugh... I feel much better after rest from that damn moment." Richard groaned, before he then noticed the people gathered around the table. "...Having the talk right now, are we?"

"Yeah. We just about covered mostly everything you were going to talk about." Gus responded back. "They... aren't taking it lightly."

"I don't expect the truth to be that simple." Richard replied back, as he slowly approached the group. "Where's Casca...?"

"She's bathing right over there." Reimu pointed, as Richard turned to the direction she was pointing, causing her to become agitated. "Hey! Don't look there-"

It was too late, as Richard already saw Casca on the other side of the small cave, bathing herself in a small waterfall of natural water, as she was wearing a soaked white gown, as she slowly cleaned herself. Richard realised what he was doing, as he yelped and quickly shifted his eyes towards the gathering again.

"...Crap. Sorry." Richard apologised, before Reimu clocked him over the head with her gohei, sending him chin-first into the ground, dazed by the blow.

"THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM!?" Reimu exclaimed. "Even if she's bathing with clothes on, you don't go being a indecent jerk like that!"

Judeau could barely prevent himself from chuckling awkwardly, as he was slightly amused at the scene, since it actually reminded him that Richard and his friends were mostly the same as he knew them.

"Ow... Ow..." Richard cursed, before he slowly got up. "Well, you're the one who pointed. You should have just said it."

"Well, consider this partial payment for what you pulled off all this time." Reimu growled, as she raised her gohei threateningly. "Pull the wool over all of our eyes for this, will you...? You're asking for a real beating."

"I guess so." Richard sighed, before he turned to Judeau and Rickert. "Judeau... Rickert..."

"Raze-... No, Richard..." Rickert quickly corrected himself. "Was everything you said before, was true...?"

Richard's expression dimmed hearing those words. "Yes, everything was true." Richard answered back. "I meant every single word of it, but not entirely out of cruelty or pragmatism."

"Doesn't change what has happened though." Judeau bitterly replied back.

"Judeau, you knew what I said. I am no omnipotent being." Richard responded back sternly. "If I could have the power to wipe the God Hand where they stood, I would have done so easily. But despite my threat, I lack that power. So I can only tweak the situation to our benefit."

"'Our' benefit." Judeau stated, as he slowly stomped over towards Richard with a furious expression. "Benefit that resulted in our Band being vilified? Benefit that resulted in the death of everyone in the Band, save for us few. Benefit that resulted in Griffith turning into the monster we never thought we would have seen him as?"

"Hate me all you want. It doesn't change facts. No matter how much I hated this, no matter how much you hate me for it..." Richard responded back, as he stepped towards Judeau. "Things were for the better. I may have not changed much, but I have saved a few lives with what I have done, even if you don't realise that yet. And that's not to say that it was thanks to my friend that you managed to survive in the first place. I'm willing to be hated, if that's what it takes to make the world right. I'll make this clear, Judeau: I'm no vain person, seeking to be a shining hawk like Griffith that will unite everyone under a single banner. But I am willing to be the common enemy for all, if that results in the unification of the nation, even if that is temporary. I have been hated for far worse things than this, Judeau, and I have been told worse things about myself, than what you can possibly imagine. I don't care how you feel about me. But what I do care about, is that you make use of your life to help set things right again, together with me."

Judeau was slightly shocked by Richard's words, although his expression didn't shift much, before he then turned away and returned back to his original position.

"Richard..." Rickert muttered.

"Rickert... It must tear your heart to see this as my true nature." Richard answered back. "That is why you must experience it, so that you will know that a person like me doesn't deserve a place in this world. But that is the reason I exist. I exist as a monster, because it takes a monster to kill a monster. That is one of the undeniable truth of the world, no matter how you view it. If you resent me, then I understand. Now that I am free, I will make sure that for every life I have condemned... I will liberate a hundred. That is my iron-clad vow."

"...So, what do we do now?" Velouria asked. "I don't think that the world is safe, now that the demons are running amok through this entire place."

"Simple, we fight." Richard answered back. "That's all we can do right now. As easily the God Hand brought the demon infestation to the mortal realm, we can easily trim that presence significantly by slaying them everywhere we go. Especially if said demons are Apostles."

"Apostles?" Gus asked.

"They're sort of like Zodd and Wyald, if you get what I mean." Richard answered back. "You might consider them to be a lesser demon compared to the great demon Femto. They've went through the same stuff Griffith did, and that basically made them demons in a human shell, far more powerful than their pact-less brothers. So killing them will really put a damper on the God Hand's eventual dominion over the realm."

"And how are you going to achieve that?" Reimu asked, before Richard turned around, as he stripped his own upper clothing off, revealing the Brand of Sacrifice on his back, surprising everyone.

"With this. You heard Void, Reimu." Richard answered back. "Thanks to the Brand, Guts, Casca and I are basically walking dinner-bells for the demons. They can't resist coming to us, even if it means their death."

"Wait, I thought that I gave you one of those ofuda-" Reimu remarked, before she then realised what Richard has done. "...Who did you give it to?"

"Guess." Richard answered back. "It's an easy one."

"...It's Judeau, isn't it?" Meiling answered back.

"That's right." Richard answered back, before he then walked over to Judeau, and pulled out the ofuda from the sash on his belt, as the symbol of the Brand was stuck onto it. "I decided that Judeau needs it more."

"What...?" Judeau remarked, as he saw the ofuda in Richard's hand, as everyone was equally shocked from the revelation.

"You mean... you purposely threw that ofuda away to Judeau...?" Reimu remarked, as she gnashed her teeth. "You stupid-!"

"Now now, Reimu. I had a very good reason why I passed the ofuda across." Richard responded back. "One, I ain't afraid of demons, so they can come to me as much as they like. They're only going to get wiped out for their trouble. Besides, I could easily create something to repel them, if I really need the forty winks. Two, like I said, I need something to attract the Apostles. Considering that I'm juiced up with succulent power, and Branded on top of that, no Apostle would be patient enough to pass up a treat like myself. It's a win for us, because that means that they're lining up to die by our hands. And three..."

Richard then turned to Judeau. "...Rickert alone isn't going to be enough to revive the Band. You need to help Rickert out. I don't care if you agree with me or not, it's the best course of action for you. Without the Brand, you're likely to not be chased by demons from day to night anymore." He continued. "If it eases your worries, Guts will be more than enough to keep Casca safe, and add us on top of that... Yeah, you have my word she's going to be safe, nothing implied."

Judeau didn't respond back, as the group silently looked back at Richard. Meanwhile, back where Richard woke up, Guts slowly woke up as well, as Rickert and Erika quickly came to his side.

"Guts! You're awake!" Rickert exclaimed.

"Where are we...?" Guts asked.

"We're in the hills near my home." Erica explained. "This is daddy's mine cave."

Guts then looked around, as he saw the group that were looking back at him, as Richard approached him.

"Guts." Richard stated, before he then smiled slightly. "You're awake, I see. Do you feel well...?"

"...I guess." Guts responded back, before he then looked at the stump that was his arm, causing Richard's expression to turn into a frown.

"Ah... That's right. I was responsible for severing that arm of yours. I wish I'd had something to help you." Richard sighed. "You're going to need to get a prosthetic to help with that. Either way, we're safe for the time being, although we got other matters to deal with."

Guts stared back at Richard, as he growled slightly at him, before he then got up slowly, walking towards the group behind Richard.

"Where's Casca?" Guts asked.

"She's right behind us, in the waterfall." Antonio answered back. "Don't look though. Our friend made that mistake, and Reimu beaned him with that rod of hers. It's quite painful to be struck by."

"Hm..." Guts groaned, as he slowly sat down on one of the benches. "So, what has being going on?"

"We talked about a few things." Gus responded back, before he then looked at Judeau, who looked slightly annoyed with Richard. "...And those things aren't exactly good."

"...Either way, I need to talk to you." Richard answered back. "We have a lot to discuss, Guts."

"...Yes. We do." Guts growled in response.

"Fine then. We'll meet outside. Until then, I'll take my leave and wait by the entrance." Richard answered back, before he glanced at everyone. "I have a feeling that I'm not welcome here for a while."

He then ascended the stairs, before he then disappeared, as everyone turned to Guts.

"...Guts..." Corrin stated. "Is it wrong to say that Richard did this with the best interests in heart?"

"Like hell." Reimu growled back. "If what he said was true, then he's responsible for causing the Band of the Hawks to be in the sorry state it is now. No wonder Judeau over here is bitter about it. And Casca... Well, we never obtained her opinion on the matter, before she went showering."

Soon, Casca came over to the group, as she was dressed back up in her armour, with her hair still wet from the bathing before.

"Guts..." Casca stated, as Guts raised his head, and smiled with relief.

"Casca... You're alive and unscathed..." Guts stated. "I'm truly glad that nothing has happened to you."

"...I have only Elma to thank for tending to my injuries, and the others to tend to me." Casca responded back, giving Elma a grateful nod, which the demoness nodded back, before she then searched around the group for someone. "Where is... Richard...?"

"He's outside." Judeau answered back. "He can't even bear to face all of us right now. Whether that is because of his regret and cowardice, or out of respect of the fragile atmosphere around here."

Guts bowed his head, as he placed a hand on it. "In truth... After seeing everything that had happened... I don't know what to ask of him anymore. He's responsible for everything that happened, and yet he did everything to atone for it..." Guts answered back. "I personally witnessed both sides of him. The side that caused all of this, with cold and uncaring cunning, and the side that remained loyal to the band and our bonds... I truly don't know what to think of him anymore. It's as if he's become a much more enigmatic existence than what Griffith used to be, before those three years..."

"...I understand that." Gus sighed. "But you should talk with him... Only then, will you be able to find out whether you have it in you to either condemn him or forgive him with your words. As his closest friend... Sometimes, a personal talk is the only way that you will be able to understand where you hold in his own heart. I could make guesses, but I rather not give false expectations."

"Is that so?" Casca asked back.

"Richard's not the kind of person who would lie so often. But this lie of his... It has cause harm that won't easily heal." Gus answered back. "I believe that he owes it to all of you to express his true intentions, morals and feelings about all of this. That much I am certain about, because I can read it in his eyes and words."

"...You could tell that much?" Judeau answered back. "Well, if that was true, then you aren't kidding about being that close to him."

"Judeau... Casca... Guts..." Elma interjected, as the trio looked at her, as she had a worried expression. "I know that Richard has done these horrible things, but I ask that you please trust him and give him a second chance, or at least try to understand him... Everything he had done before this... He did it because it was his responsibility. He hasn't changed much from the one that you trusted before. He would never truly betray you as you might have believed. After all... He was the one who saw the good in me."

"Elma..." Rickert stated.

"...Alright, I'll try." Guts sighed. "But I won't promise that I'll be able to do so."

"Guts, go to Richard. Casca and I need to talk about things between the two of us." Judeau answered back.

Guts nodded, before he then left the cave. "Then what about us?" Gunter asked Judeau.

"Just leave us be for the moment." Judeau stated, as everyone except him and Casca dispersed. "Casca..."

"What is it...?" Casca asked Judeau.

"What should we do from now on? Rickert, Guts, you and me are the only ones that represent the Band right now, save for Richard and his group, which I doubt will be staying for long after all of this." Judeau stated. "Griffith has turned into a demon, and everything has truly turned for the worst."

"I believe that we should see what Richard would do right now." Casca sighed, as Judeau's expression stiffened. "I know that it might not be a sound idea for the time being, but I remember that it was he who fought to protect all of us. We need his protection, as much as you might hate it."

"But even so... Even so...!" Judeau growled, as his hands clenched to fists.

"I'm not asking you to forgive him. But at least believe that he doesn't have a reason to continue his lies anymore." Casca responded back. "After all, you cannot lie that he has done so much for the Band, before all of this, can you?"

"...No." Judeau responded.

Meanwhile, outside, Richard saw Guts climb out, as he beckoned Guts to follow him, as they tread through the forest.

* * *

_Inside a small forest clearing..._

After walking for a while, they move to the centre of the clearing, before Richard stopped, as did Guts shortly after.

"Richard..." Guts stated, as his tone was fairly neutral. "I want to ask you a question... When you did all of this, did you do it for yourself, or did you do it for the Band? For us...?"

"...You should know that answer right now." Richard answered back with a cold tone. "...Did I not make it obvious."

"I want to hear it from you again. I want you to confirm for me." Guts replied back. "Are you... really the same 'Raze' that fought by my side all those times?"

"...Yes. Yes I am. For better and for worse." Richard answered back, turning around, with a grim expression. "Right now, you face the true me. No more lies, no more masks, no more betrayals. Everything I say, everything I do, it is of my full choice. Like I have said before, I have washed my hands of the God Hand, now that the deed is done."

Guts was silenced by those words, before Richard continued. "So Guts, now that you know what I am truly like, do you believe that I deserve a chance with you, or am I just another demon for you to cut? I have brought you so much pain and anguish, and I have not paid for it. So tell me, do you hate me? Do you feel like that you never wish to see me again, or do you wish to have your own blade bite into the very side of my neck, as I bleed for my treason?"

"Of course not!" Guts answered back. "You may have done all of this, but you still fought with me regardless. Even when I was in denial of everything, you were there to help me snap out of it. You fought to inspire me to survive. So if I have to kill you, then you would have to give me a reason to do so."

"That's easy to say." Richard answered back. "But I don't want merely your words. I want you to prove it."

"How?" Guts asked, before Richard then summoned a sukima, as it dropped the Divine Judge right before Guts's feet.

Before Guts could ask anything, Richard strode towards him, picked up the blade, and forced it into Guts's only hand. "Hold the blade." Richard stated.

Guts was about to voice his complaint, before he saw the grim look in Richard's eyes, that made him realise that Richard was serious about what he was planning to do, as he gripped the blade. After he did so, he felt Richard shift his arm upwards, until the blade's edge was touching Richard's neck.

"What...?" Guts asked. "What the hell are you doing?"

"You have me at sword-point right now, Guts." Richard told him in response. "Just one flick, Guts. One flick, and the blade will sever through my neck like a refined knife through bread. And I am not joking. This blade is far more potent than it seems. It can cut through the hardest of man-made materials. Flesh is nothing against its might, and I am no exception. You can choose to kill me now, and no-one will be there to witness it."

"Kill you...? Why would I...!?" Guts exclaimed, before he growled. "No! You can't just do this!"

"Then move your arm then." Richard responded back. "Show me that you do not hate me. If you can move your arm, when you have such an opportunity before you... Then that is proof enough that you will not kill me in vengeance, because that means that you still know that there is some good in me, even after such a atrocious sin I have perpetuated."

Guts's arm shook, as Richard wasn't wrong. A corner of his mind burned with a raging fury, determined to slice Richard's head off and be done with it, after everything Richard had done. However, the rest of his mind refused to cave into that burning desire for retribution, as he took a deep breath.

"Then what about your friends...?" Guts stated, as Richard closed his eyes.

"...My friends... After everything I have done... Do I truly deserve them? If I die, then they'll be in better hands with you and Casca." Richard solemnly answered back. "Would you remain friends with a manipulator like myself?"

Guts grimaced, as the rage in his head grew considerably. But he still resisted, until he managed to suppress his rage for Richard, and focus his mind on a single fact, a fact that he recalled from the past.

_"I shall impart you one final truth that you must never forget: The Rebel, who stands by your side, shares the same nature as you, and he shall stand by your side against the bleak future to come. No matter what he shall commit, and no matter how he shall act, his true nature as your ally will remain unchanged. He shall be your guiding light through the endless darkness, and nurture your strength, so that you shall gain the power to defy, as he currently possesses. Never forget that, Struggler, for he and you are kindred in suffering and betrayal."_

_'__That so...?_' Guts thought, as his rage began to fade away. '_Then... I'll have to see if that knight is telling the truth or not..._'

Guts finally managed to lower the blade, as Richard watched him. "...So you made your choice then...?" He asked.

"...Yeah. Don't get me wrong. You got a lot to pay for." Guts answered back. "But I can say that even at this moment, I still see 'Raze' in you. Don't know if it soothes or torments me. But I can bet that it feels like the former."

"...Guts..." Richard muttered, before he slowly gave a thankful smile. "...Thanks."

"...Don't worry about it." Guts sighed, as he held the blade out, pointed down. "Now then, let's head back. We'll decide what to do from then on-"

Suddenly, they felt the rain come down on them, as they looked up, and saw that the skies above already turned dark.

"...It's dark." Richard stated with a serious look on his face, before he pushed Guts's arm away. "Guts, keep the blade."

"Why?" Guts asked, before the both of them were assaulted by pain, as Guts reeled back, dropping the blade, and clutching his Brand, which was bleeding. Richard's reaction was slightly less obvious, as he winced slightly. "What is it...?"

"...It is the Brand." Richard answered back, before he then pulled out Desidero from one of his sukima. "Draw the blade, before they come."

"They...?" Guts asked, quickly grabbing the blade, before he felt something coming.

"...living... mine... Sacrifices... Sacrifices..." A chorus of dreadful voices rang around them, before various sets of red eyes illuminated around them.

"You forget... We are still Branded." Richard answered back. "The demons roam the darkness... In order to find us, and finish the promised feast."

Suddenly, they saw the figures that were approaching them, as they were withered opaque spirits which looked more demon than human, as they began to pop out of the ground, surprising Guts. Richard swung his blade towards some of them, as the blade dispersed them.

"Draw your blade, Guts...!" Richard shouted. "You must repel them, before they attempt to take hold of you!"

Guts growled, before he then raised his blade, and brought it down on several spirits. However, as he struck them down, one of the spirits managed to grab hold of Guts, phasing through his body. Guts immediately froze up, as his body began to convulse and he bellowed in agony, as the spirit's head began to overlap over Guts's own, as the pain was causing him to become closer to fainting.

"Guts!" Richard shouted. "Stay strong! You have to-"

"Steel yourself! Otherwise you will be devoured." The skeleton knight stated, as he slowly trod into their view.

Guts quickly regained his consciousness, before he then exerted pressure on his own body, as he forcibly expelled the spirits out of him, as Richard took most of them out before they could run back towards him, as he fell forward on the ground, panting and huffing, while Richard protected Guts, using his blade to cut down any approaching spirits.

"The Brand of Sacrifice. It draws creatures of darkness." The skeleton knight stated. "Your body and your every drop of blood, has been given as an offering to those of darkness. That is the destiny of those who receive the Brand of Sacrifice."

Guts recovered, as he pressed his back onto Richard's own, as the two of them glanced at each other, before they immediately struck down the spirits together.

"You should take heed. From now on, this is your world. The boundary between the mortal world and the world of the dead. The 'Interstice'." The skeleton knight continued. "These are the dead spirits that roam about this place. Being dead, they now cling to life... They swarm together for your warm flesh and blood. To them, you are both torches tossed into the darkness. No doubt you shine brilliantly for them. This is the reality that you must walk through from here on. A world invisible to the eyes of flesh. You both must stand in the interval between the two worlds, that fold in on to each other, but never touch. Such is the destiny of those who receive the Brand of Sacrifice."

"I don't care about some destiny!" Guts roared. "The point is, this is WAR! It ain't different from any other war! And in the war... the last ones standing wins! Listen here! I'm going to beat you all back down to hell! Tell those ugly pale-faced bastards for me! If I get hit, I'll hit back! Tell them, that leaving me half-eaten is going to be the end of them all! I'll hunt and kill all of those wretched monsters, and all of you, down to the last one! THIS IS MY DECLARATION OF WAR!"

Richard couldn't help but smile at Guts's determination, as he cleaved through a series of demons.

"...What will you do, Rebel?" The skeleton knight asked back.

"Isn't that obvious? I'm done playing nice with the God Hand." Richard answered back. "They literally OWE me for the fact that I didn't just up and summoned you-know-who to bring their little loop to a unpleasant end. Hell, they're lucky I only roughed up Femto there. I could have done far worse in that state, and you can sense it. So now, I cash that debt in. In the form of a genocide of their beloved Apostles. One by one, I will sever their ties to this world, no matter how many times they try to bolster their numbers in this chaotic age. Like Guts, I will ensure that they will regret making a fool out of me. And even though it makes me human... I too want vengeance for the Band, that cared for me all that long ago. If they try to stop me, then they will know the wrath of a being built to slaughter gods."

"I see... Struggler and Rebel indeed." The skeleton knight remarked, watching the two of them cleave through the endless waves of demonic spirits with vigour. "This strength is unmistakably the reason they have managed to do so much in the Eclipse."

After a long period of them, the sun began to rise, as what remained of the spirits has faded away into nothing, leaving both combatants standing dead-tired on their feet, as the skeleton knight turned to leave.

"Farewell. We are likely to meet again, should destiny so dictate." He stated. "If you mean to pursue inhumans, follow the guidance of that brand. It reacts to powerful evil. But mind this, your path is a black path through the night, Struggler. When you confront those who lurk in the darkness, you also envelop yourself in it. Good journey, Struggler and Rebel."

As soon as the knight left, Richard and Guts toppled to the ground, panting.

"Well, I guess we managed to survive this night together." Richard panted. "Are you less angry now, working your anger off these damned spirits?"

"A little." Guts sighed back.

"We're just going to lie for a while, before we come back." Richard stated. "If we're going to be taking out those Apostles, then better to start early, than late."

"...You're coming?" Guts muttered.

"No way I can't. Like I said, I owe you for everything I have done. You'll need as much of a hand dealing with these Apostles." Richard stated, before he chuckled. "So why not work with a old friend?"

"...I guess that I can't avoid it. Fine, but I'm keeping an eye on you from now on." Guts answered back.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, pal." Richard responded back, as he looked up to the early morning sky.

* * *

_The day after..._

"Guts, Richard... Are you all really leaving?" Rickert asked the two of them, as Richard's group were behind them, all ready to leave, and Erika by Rickert's side.

"Yeah." Guts nodded, as he waved his new arm, which was a metal prosthetic.

"Is it okay not to say anything to Casca or Judeau?" Rickert asked.

"...It's for the best." Gus answered back. "Just make sure to be careful... This place will protect them, and Reimu's magic enhancements will drive even strong demons away from this sanctuary."

"Both of you... Listen... what I think is... What I think is maybe you all should stay here..." Rickert frantically responded back. "I don't want to believe it or admit it, but... The Band of the Hawk... is gone... It's a cold way to put it... But..! But instead of getting revenge for the people who no longer are here with us, you should be with Casca and the others!"

"Rickert... I know that this hurts you the most, but we have to go. Both Richard and Guts are determined to defeat the demons all over this land." Elma stated. "If we were turn a blind eye to all of this... Would we be the same people who once fought for the sake of this land? Even if we no longer are mercenaries, that doesn't mean that we're powerless against all of this... It's all the more reason we fight to protect everyone. Please, Rickert... We have to go, so that we can save people."

Rickert looked at Elma, as he bowed his head, fighting back tears.

"...Rickert... I promise that one day..." Richard stated, placing a hand over his heart. "...One day... This world will be right once again. You just need to believe in the hope that lingers on this world, in even the smallest fragments of light."

After he said that, Richard then turned to leave, as Guts and the others followed.

"So... I guess that this is the start of our little war against the demons, isn't it, Guts?" Richard asked Guts, who didn't respond back at all. "...You're thinking about the future to come, right?"

"Hn..." Guts grunted back.

"Well, you have all the time to think about it. After all, we got a lot of work to do." Richard stated. "But it's rewarding, because one less demon means one step closer to taking out the God Hand, because they'll eventually be forced to take matters in their own hands. And by then... We'll be ready for them... together."

Guts looked at Richard with sorrowful eyes, before he then turned away, and nodded, as the group descended the mountains.

"Alright, so according to this map, and Richard's extended abilities to sense these 'Apostles'..." Gus stated, holding the country map in his hands. "The first target should be in the town we're heading towards, right?"

"Yeah." Richard answered back. "Just call it a feeling. After all, we got a lot of road to cover before we get there."


	10. Chapter 9

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 9: Lord of Thieves

A/N: Cannibalism/Hard Vore warning here. If you don't want to read it, then skip past the parts with this line:

[DEVOURDEVOURDEVOURDEVOURDEVOUR]

* * *

_Inside the town nearby Koka Castle..._

As the group passed through the town gates, they looked around, as they saw that the town was relatively peaceful. However, they felt otherwise, when they saw wagons filled with young children passing through the area, as they were dressed in nothing but a cloak, and their expressions were filled with resignation.

Guts watched the carts pass, as did Richard, Meiling, Reimu, Gunter. But the others reacted, with a appalled look on their faces, especially Gus and Elma.

"What the...!?" Guts exclaimed. "What are those wagons doing with these children?"

"The look on their faces..." Elma commented, with sorrow on her face. "They seem to look like that they're suffering in being in here."

"Richard... What is going on here?" Corrin asked Richard.

"The less you ask, the better." Richard responded back, before he continued. "Don't bother rescuing the children yet. You'll only draw unwanted attention here. Before we decide what we do about that, let's find a place to sit."

Gus glared at Richard, as if he was insane, although the others reacted far less dramatically. Gus sighed, before the group made their way to the local tavern, as Guts shoved the door open. When they did so, they saw that the tavern was fairly occupied. However, what drew their attention was a group of menacing bandits and thieves that were hanging around the back of the room, as they seemed to be enjoying themselves, as one of them was throwing small knives at something, like a game of darts. What followed after was the sound of a high-pitched yelp, as the group laughed again.

"Damn!" The thrower, who was a bald burly man, dressed in fur and leather. "Stop squirming around! How am I supposed to hit you!"

When Elma moved to see what they were talking about, as she gasped in horror, as she found a small frightened fairy with butterfly wings, blue eyes and scruffy light-blue hair. It was squirming about, trying to avoid the knives thrown at it.

"Richard... This...!" Elma exclaimed with horror, before Richard cupped a hand over her mouth before she could say anything more.

"Listen, Elma." Richard answered back, pointing towards a nearby group of townsfolk.

"I feel sorry for that elf..." One of the younger men spoke.

"There's nothing we can do about it." A elderly man in the group replied back with a defeated tone. "Not even the Lord Mayor can lay a hand on the men of Koka Castle. Best not to get involved."

Richard then lowered his hand, as Elma turned to him. "But we can't just-" Elma was about to argue, as Richard placed a finger on his lips.

"Shh... Don't worry, I've got it taken care of." Richard answered back, before he walked up to the bartender. "Oi, bartender!"

"Yeah?" The bartender asked Richard, cleaning one of the wooden mugs with a fairly clean rag.

"Hit me up with a cup of mead." Richard answered back. "And do tell me, how much is the store worth?"

"It's not for sale, but I'll give you your drink." The bartender politely responded back, as he then went over to get one of the cleaned mugs, as he slowly cupped a serving of mead into it.

"I'm not interested in buying. I'm just asking the value of this place." Richard answered back, as the bartender looked at Richard with suspicious eyes, while setting the mug down. "Don't you worry. I'm not going to do anything too bad to this place. I just want to know, so that I can give you something."

"Something for what?" The bartender asked back.

"Compensation for the events that are about to occur." Richard answered back, before he then placed a sizeable bag of money down. "Since you don't want to say anything, I'll just assume the average."

The bartender was shocked, as Richard swiped the mead-filled mug, before walking over to the group, who were watching the group of thieves.

"Guts, Virion. Care for a wager?" Richard asked back. "I would like to see that repeating cross-bow in Guts's new arm in action. Wonder if you can beat that, Virion?"

"...You want us to kill these ruffians?" Virion coldly answered back.

"Yeah. But don't nock a arrow yet." Richard answered back, as Guts turned around, interested by Richard's offer. "Just ready your weapons up, and fire when ready."

"Then what's the mead for?" Link asked Richard.

"You'll see." Richard responded back, as he slowly counted the number of members in the group of thieves, while the fairy was biting at its ropes furiously.

"Bring it on, fathead! Why don't you untie me! I'll gnaw right through your arteries!" The fairy threatened.

"Heh heh, I'm going to stuff those words right back down your throat. Now stop wiggling." The bald man cackled, as he readied another knife to throw.

"Waaaaahhh! NO NO NO NO!" The fairy panicked, as its courage from before dissipated, as the man prepared to throw.

"Leave one alive. We need someone to send the word." Richard gently told Guts and Virion, before he then twisted his arm around, and hurled the mead-filled mug right towards the thrower's head, as it broke from the impact, dousing the entire head with the frothy mead.

At that moment, everyone froze, especially the townspeople, as Richard merely smirked at his precise hit. The bald man quickly wiped the mead off his face, as he turned to Richard with a expression of unbridled rage.

"You dare...!?" He snarled at Richard, who wasn't the slightest bit intimidated by the tense scene right now.

"Sorry, but I couldn't help but feel like that you need some treatment for that hairless top of yours." Richard mocked back, pointing at the man. "I heard that mead made here is good for the hair, so I gave you a more direct application."

"Do you know who are you are messing with!?" One of the other members hissed.

"Lowlifes? Pft, why do I want to?" Richard shrugged. "But that's not important here. What's important is that you have something of mine, something I've been looking for. Now then, since I doubt you'll be handing that over for me, I guess I'll have to take it by force, like the law of the jungle."

"You'll regret-" The bald man screamed, as he prepared to throw his knife at Richard.

"Nope. FIRE." Richard ordered both Guts and Virion, as they speedily loaded their own weapons quickly.

The moment after, arrows began to fly towards the group of thieves, who were caught off-guard by the sudden attack, as the steel bolts of Gut's repeating cross-bow, and Virion's arrow sailed through the air, hitting right through the heads of the thieves, and in several vital places on their torsos. When the arrows stopped firing, everyone of the group of thieves was unmistakably dead, except for one of them, who found a arrow piercing through his nose, and several arrows through his shoulders, as they seemed to be mostly from Virion. Richard then walked over to the injured bandit, who was clutching his pierced nose, before then yanking the arrow out with a single motion, as the bandit screamed. He then grabbed the bandit by the hair, twisting him around to face the group leader.

"That's got to hurt..." The fairy remarked, before Elma moved to motion, as she quickly worked to untie the fairy's bindings. "Eh...?"

"Don't worry, we got you." Elma stated, as she worked quickly, while Richard interrogated the bandit.

"Alright then, seems like you're in a good enough state to answer questions." Richard stated. "Alright, easy one, you one of Koka Castle's men, like the good folk around told you?"

The bandit merely groaned in response, as he looked at Richard with fearful eyes. Richard frowned at that, before he then walked over, and bashed the bandit's face against the table, just enough to not damage the table, as the bandit squealed in pain.

"That's not an answer. Here's a hint, you answer with Yes or No." Richard answered back.

"Yes... Yes... Sir..." The bandit blubbered back.

"Good. Now then, next question. Do you think you can do me a favour?" Richard asked, as he leaned forward with his mouth near the bandit's ear. "I'll let you go, if you do me just this little favour."

"I'll... I'll do it... Please..." The bandit answered back.

"That's the attitude I'm looking for." Richard responded back. "Alright then, you go back to your boss, the Lord of Thieves, and tell him this, and not a single word changed from what I tell you from here on: The Black Swordsman and The Twin-Bladed Reaper has come today. It would be of his best interest to come to US, lest it becomes the opposite. Right then, that's all. You got every single word, or do I have to dumb it down for your addled brain?"

"I... I understand..." The bandit whimpered.

"Right then." Richard stated, as he dragged the bandit to the tavern door, before he flung him out harshly. "Now get going."

Everyone in the tavern stared at Richard, who folded his hands out with a casual smile. "Nothing to see here, folks. Just business as usual."

At those words, the entire tavern rushed out frantically, including the bartender, who snatched the money bag Richard left for him. After the tavern was emptied, Richard sighed and took a seat down where the thieves were, as he stared at the corpses of the former thieves.

"Well, I guess we now have the place to ourselves." Richard chuckled, before he then examined the dead bodies of the thieves. "Right then, I can safely say that Guts's repeating crossbow is pretty strong. It overwhelmed Virion's salvo by so many hits."

Guts simply folded the crossbow back into his arm, as Richard plucked both the crossbow bolts and arrows off the bodies, before bundling them up and returning them to their respective owners, and then sitting back down.

"So... Now can we talk about the matters at hand?" Corrin asked with a irritated tone. "I mean, you caused quite the commotion there."

"It was necessary." Richard waved his hand. "Right, now then. Let's start with what those wagons are for-"

"Wait!" The fairy shouted, as it fluttered up to where the group were. "What are you people?"

"That isn't much of your concern. But you should be thankful that we saved you back there." Richard answered back. "So then, what are you, little fairy?"

"But I'm NOT a fairy!" The fairy responded back, as Richard raised an eyebrow, before it then realised something. "Wait, what about that girl with you, she's a demon...!"

"Yes, Elma is one." Richard answered back, as Elma quickly undid her magic, revealing her short horns for the time being. "As for how I can see you... Looks can be deceiving. I ain't as human as I look, little one."

"Oh... Well, I'm actually an elf. A Pisky elf to be precise." The elf responded back. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you all. I'm Puck. Nice to meet you."

"So these are what elves are in this land...? Interesting." Richard remarked with a intrigued smile. "Well, Puck. You seem to be in a bind. How did you end up like this?"

"Well, you see, I was in a troupe of travelling performers, but we were attacked by those bums." Puck explained. "Since then, I've been locked up in a mynah bird cage and soaked in a wine bottle. It's a wonder I'm still alive at this point."

"Poor you..." Elma responded back with a sympathetic look in her eyes, as she approached Puck, and gently patted him with her finger. "You must have been through a lot."

"Well, of course I have. But still, you don't seem like the demons that I was warned about. What about that?" Puck asked Elma, who immediately wilted at hearing those words, causing Puck to feel guilty. "Wait, I didn't mean it like that, I mean you feel like that you're nearly as pure as a human.

"It's fine. Elma personally seen those demons herself." Richard answered back. "It's been weighing on her mind ever since. She really does not want to related with those atrocious things, and neither do any of us."

"Well, alright, let's not talk about ourselves." Puck quickly said, to change the topic. "Either way, the town has already been attacked a number of times, but the town mayor made a deal with the thugs. In exchange for tribute, they promised that they'd leave the town free and there'd be no more raids."

"And I can assume that the 'tribute' in question is the wagons filled with young children from before, right?" Reimu bitterly interjected.

"How did you...!?" Puck exclaimed.

"We passed by them on the way here." Link answered back. "What could they possibly want to do with them? Whatever it is, it is truly unpleasant."

"You're right on that, Link." Richard responded back, as he raised two fingers. "So I'll give you guys a choice, I can tell you about it straight away, like ripping a bandage off fast and easy, or I can help you figure it out. Either way, they both lead to the same answer, and speculating about it could be worse."

"...Tell us." Corrin stated.

"Alright then, anyone wants to directly know about the purpose of the 'tribute'?" Richard asked the rest of his group, as most of them nodded in agreement. "Heh, quick way it is then. Those tributes? They're for the aforementioned Lord of Thieves. In fact, the purpose of those 'tributes' is to be... his sustenance."

Everyone reacted terribly to it, as the more idealistic members suffered the worst of it, paling greatly.

"Well, I told you it ain't pleasant." Richard responded back. "I read up on my enemies, and I'll put it simply. The Lord of Thieves is one twisted fuck. It's a wonder how he was even born into this world in the first place. So I'll make this clear: He's the Apostle we're hunting down right now, and he dies today, by our hands, with no escape at hand. Besides, everyone here agrees that he must pay for his transgressions, right?"

There was a moment of silence, as Richard smirked. "Like I thought." He stated, before he stood back up. "Alright then, let's get moving, before the town-guard shows up on us. They won't be happy that their one chance on 'leniency' has been ruined by a rag-tag bunch like us."

"Wait!" Elma shouted, before she then grabbed Puck, and held him tightly, as the small elf was shocked to be held tightly by the demon girl. "Can we take him...? He doesn't have anywhere to go..."

"Go ahead. It's not like that we're one to turn down someone like him. If you like him, that's reason enough to keep him." Richard smiled back. "Just make sure to treat him well. That goes especially to you, Guts."

"Fine... But he better not be a nuisance." Guts grunted.

"Hey, I'll have you know that I'm much more capable than I look!" Puck responded back.

"Stow away in Elma's robes, Puck. They're comfy, and they'll keep you hidden from the mortal eye." Richard advised the elf, who did so.

When Richard opened the door, he found that the town guards gathered around the tavern entrance, all of them raising their various weapons at the ready. Crossbows, spears, swords, they were all pointed at the group.

"Well, that's quite the welcoming party." Richard joked, as he glanced over the gathered guards. "I suppose that there's no way to talk this out, even after I have done you a service."

The guards didn't respond, as they clenched their weapons tightly. "No? Well, sorry, but I have no intentions of troubling this town further. Word of advice, care more about your people right now, because things are about to get bad quickly."

He then raised his hand, as the crossbowmen prepared to fire, before he then smashed his hand down, as the stone pavement underneath jerked up, creating a barrier of stone that covered the entire group. The town guard immediately moved into action, as they cleaved and shot at the stone barrier with all of their combined might, before it slowly retracted, revealing that the group were long gone, confusing them all.

* * *

_At the town outskirts..._

As soon as everyone dropped out of Richard's own teleporting sukima, they looked around, and found themselves on a large hill overlooking the town.

"Right then, the bait has been set." Richard remarked, as he gazed over the town. "Now all that's left... Wait for the prey to come to the hunting grounds."

"At the cost of the people...!? Richard, you have gone too far this time-" Gus shouted with outrage, before Richard turned around and silenced Gus with a finger on the brown-haired swordsman's lips.

"Gus, I know what I've got us into. Don't get yourself in a fury. Save that for when the battle begins." Richard answered back. "Save your focus on doing what you do best: Rescuing."

Gus settled down, as he shook his head in denial. "I can't believe it, Richard... You've changed a lot since you came down here." He grumbled.

"What can I say, this world need drastic measures. This ain't a place where heroism and justice thrives, as you can tell. Sometimes..." Richard responded back. "...You need to get in touch with your darker nature in order to adapt to this cruel world."

"Wait.. You're going to help the town, even after all of this?" Puck asked, flying out of Elma's cloak.

"Of course. Although Guts could care less about it. He might help out by proxy, but driving his blade through the Apostle is his main priority. Everything else is secondary, except for survival." Richard explained, pointing towards Guts, who was searching for any signs of the Lord of Thieves and his band.

"But how are we going to do that?" Elma asked.

"Simple, just in time for the attack, we drop in the town, face the enemy, and keep them at bay, while the town guard do the competent thing and focus on helping their citizens like I told them to, instead of being annoyances." Richard answered back. "You're going to be on heavy healing duty in there, Elma, so take your time to focus yourself for the ordeal to come, because you won't have the time to stop, when there are inevitable causalities in this battle."

"I can help!" Puck shouted, as he fluttered his wings slightly, as fuzzy particles of light rained down from them for a while. "We elves got all sorts of power. We can heal wounds, sense people's emotions, bring joy and more. At least let me help you out for everything you have done for me back there."

"Alright then, then just keep Elma's spirits up and help relieve her burden, if you can keep up, that is." Richard responded back, before he turned to the others. "The rest of you, saddle up and ready for battle, because once we go in, it's a fight to the finish."

Everyone nodded, as they separated and started their own preparations. As Guts, the last to leave, was turning to go, Richard quickly pulled out a whetstone for his large blade, before tossing at Guts, who caught it without a word, looking at Richard.

"Use it. You'll need to keep your blade at tip-top shape. After all, you can't carve through Apostle flesh and armour with a blunt blade, can you?" Richard told Guts with a smile.

Guts looked at the whetstone, before he smiled briefly, and then moved to his own spot, putting the whetstone to use. Richard then turned around, as he gazed over the horizon.

"Lord of Thieves, eh...? Looks like I'm about to get a new promotion for my title as the bane of bandits and thieves in this land." Richard stated. "Bagging a kill of the biggest and meanest bandit of these parts...? Looks like from here on, bandits and thieves will think twice of continuing their dirty deeds, lest they meet their executioners."

* * *

_At nightfall..._

The entire group watched over the town, as it has been a while since they have left, as they noticed that the town was fairly dark, with the lack of lights inside of it. As Richard gazed over the horizon, he noticed that there was a large group moving towards the town, carrying torches that looked like pin-pricks of lights from where they stood, moving fast towards their destination.

"Bingo. The trap has been sprung." Richard smirked, before he then turned to his friends. "Alright then, we ready to take down our first infamous Apostle, and the greatest bandit of the lands?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. "Right then, let's get this rolling then." Richard stated, before he then laid two sukimas on either side of him. "As I have discussed before, we're going to need to ensure that this Apostle doesn't get his chance to wriggle free of the trap. So we're going to need to split up. Those with me, will be heading right into the village, in order to meet the enemy head-on. Elma and Guts, you're definitely needed here, for respective reasons. The other group, which I have made the smaller one, will be the one to ensure the enemy's retreat is cut off. Shadow the rear guard of the enemy, and pick them off without the main force noticing. Velouria, Virion and Gunter, I leave you three in charge of that."

"It shall be done." Gunter nodded, as the three of them quickly entered the portal, with Gunter on horse-back.

Richard and the others took the other sukima, as they appeared right in the town centre, as they noticed that the vagrant army already broke into the village, and started their slaughter.

"Everyone, split up and drive the enemy back." Richard ordered the others, before turning to Guts. "Guts, with me. I'll get you to the Apostle, so just make sure you don't let the rabble scratch you too hard, alright?"

"Heh. Like they stand a chance. The weak should just get out of our way, or die." Guts stated, before Richard frowned. "...You know why I say that."

"Well, just don't go around slicing the townsfolk with the bandits, alright?" Richard sighed. "We're not exactly trying to pass off as the same kind of demons Apostles are."

Guts grunted, before he then readied his repeating cross-bow, and fired into a group of horse-riders, as the bolts struck them down.

"What are you waiting for? GO!" Richard shouted to the others, as they quickly split up. "Gus, follow Elma closely!"

"I got it!" Gus stated. "You just take care of the enemy leader!"

Richard nodded, before he then charged into the enemy forces ahead, using both of his blades to slice apart the enemy soldiers, as he cut through their ranks with little ease.

"Kill the Black Swordsman and the Twin-Bladed Reaper! Kill their cohorts as well! They killed our comrades!" One of the officers of the bandit army cried, gesturing at Guts and Richard.

"That's right, and I'll keep on killing them, until your leader comes and face us!" Richard roared back, as he leapt right at the officer, before slaying him with a blade through his chest. "ISN'T THAT RIGHT, LORD OF THIEVES!? COME OUT AND FACE US!"

As Guts took out a group of bandits that were chasing after fleeing civilians, the townspeople looked at their saviour, and bowed. "Thank you! You saved us!" One of the male citizens thanked Guts.

"Shut up and keep moving. You stay here, you're going to die." Guts growled back, causing the citizens to continue moving.

On another side of the battlefield, Link and Antonio were cutting through the enemy, as Link effortlessly parried each of the enemy strikes with his shield, before countering with lethal slashes, while Antonio sliced through the bandits like a whirlwind of metal with his blade, with some pieces of their corpses flying everywhere. The citizens that were nearby quickly fled past the attackers, seeing how dangerous the battle has become at this rate.

As soon as Antonio beheaded the officer leading the enemy squad charging through their side of the town, they were quickly surprised, when they saw that a large part of the town was lit on fire simultaneously, causing smoke to rise into the dark night sky.

"They're burning the town...!" Link exclaimed. "We have to hurry and take care of the enemy, before more of the town becomes victim to their destruction!"

"Don't have to tell me twice! I'll shoot ahead and take out the fire units responsible for this!" Antonio shouted, as he rushed through the streets, as he managed to reach an enemy fire unit in time, as he quickly annihilated them, saving several parts of the town from being subject to the spreading fire attack, repeating the process with haste.

And in yet another part of the city, Reimu threw several blue ofuda in a rectangular-like formation, as they activated into a blue shield that blocked a trembling group of young children that found themselves in the war-path of the bandits, as arrows bounced off it, and the riders were knocked off on impact with the barrier. Corrin quickly rushed forth, and struck at the enemy, while looking back at the terrified children.

"RUN! You're not safe here!" Corrin shouted, as the children nodded, rushing away at Corrin's barking. She then focused her attention back on the enemy, just in time to block a spear thrust aimed at her torso, to which she side-stepped and severed the spear cleanly in two, before striking the rider down.

"You really are getting on my nerves. Don't think that I'm only capable with defence, bastards." Reimu growled, before she then loaded her hand with Persuasion Needles, as she used them to kill the bandits from where she stood, throwing spread after spread until the enemies in her sight were taken care of.

"We need to push forward and regroup with the others..." Corrin stated.

"And leave the town as it is?" Reimu responded back, gesturing to the burning fires near them.

"I'm afraid that there is not much I can do. Dragon Pulse would do more harm than good here." Corrin shook her head. "And transforming right now... It would only further the chaos in the town currently."

"Good thing that I'll help out a little." Reimu stated, as she cast a few ofuda into the air, as they flew towards where the fires were, before infusing themselves with spiritual energy, and turning into miniature clouds, that rained down on the fires, slowly extinguishing them. "I got this taken care. You just keep on going, and take care of more of these damn bandits."

"Thank you, Reimu." Corrin nodded, before she continued.

With Elma and Gus, they found themselves in the back-end of the town, as Elma used her magic to support and heal the wounded citizens and town guards, while she kept her demonic appearance under illusion, rewarded by the relieved words of the grateful locals, and expressions of peace and comfort on the faces of the healed. Gus guarded the entrance leading into the sector, as he let not a single bandit through, slicing through them with vigour, filled with determination to protect those who lie behind him.

While Elma healed, Puck helped out a little, as he used his own magic to rain healing sparks on the bodies of the wounded, which seemed to be just as effective as Elma's own magic. When the two of them managed to finish treating the current batch of wounded, they rested themselves amidst the citizens they have saved.

"Puck... I think that this should be all for now." Elma sighed, before she then turned her head towards him. "Hey, can I say something?"

"Yes...?" Puck asked.

"Puck... I don't know how you might feel about this..." Elma stated, before she smiled warmly. "But I think that you look quite adorable, and seeing you work so hard makes me feel warm inside my own heart."

Puck froze up hearing that, as he tried his best to hide his shock, as well as the deep blush on his cheeks, before he turned away.

"W-Well..." Puck stuttered back, trying to sound confident. "You should be... We elves are pretty powerful...! So you should respect my own worth in your team."

Elma couldn't help but chuckle at Puck's words, as Puck smiled a little, feeling like that speaking with Elma gave him a sense of comfort and friendship.

Richard and Guts soon managed to fight their way through the town, before they managed to find the enemy leader before them, surrounded by a handful of elite bandits. The enemy leader himself was clad in knight-like armour with frilled joints, spiked knee-pads, and a scaled mantle that looked like a snake head, with his face right inside of its maw. He wielded a massive pole-axe, which was already stained with fresh blood. His face was obscured under the mantle, although they could see the red orbs that was his eyes.

"So you're the 'Black Swordsman' and the 'Twin-Bladed Reaper'. The ones who has been hunting us Apostles." The leader mocked with a hissing voice. "I don't know what you hope to accomplish, but to think mere mortals can oppose us... is pure folly."

"Well, then I guess that makes you the 'Lord of Thieves' then." Richard answered back. "That much I can tell, because of your 'unique' equipment. You ain't no standard bandit boss. You're the boss of bosses for these bandit and thieves."

Guts immediately readied his cross-bow, before Richard swung an arm out. "Hold up for a second, Guts. Dear Lordie might want to hear something before we start." Richard told him, before turning back to the Lord. "Let me ask you a simple question? Did you bring a rear-guard for your little raiding party?"

"Of course, we make our little raids... quite thorough." The Lord answered back. "After all, we can't have any of our dear prey running off, can we? Ahahahaha..."

The other bandit elites laughed with their leader, before they heard Richard chuckle lightly, with a sinister expression on his face. "You dare laugh? What amuses you, you impudent whelp?" The Lord growled.

"That's funny, because I think the correct term for your little rear guard is 'was'. Yep, WAS." Richard responded back. "See where I'm getting at, Lord? I think that you can figure this one out, or you can let the answer reveal itself."

The Lord was about to bark out orders, before his elites were assaulted from behind, as one of them was pierced through the chest by Gunter's lance, a small group of elites found their brains pierced cleanly through by Virion's arrows, and the rest of the elites were gorily sliced apart by Velouria's claws. As his elites were wiped out, the Lord was shocked, before the rear group blocked off the path behind the Lord.

"Time's up, Lord." Richard sneered. "Tsk tsk, you should know that we're formerly Hawks. We don't think with our blades, we know the basics of strategy and war tactics. You see, I actually did that for a reason. Because you're wrong assuming that we're the prey here."

Richard then pointed his blades at the Lord. "Because instead of being the hunter this time, Lord of Thieves, you are the hunted." Richard stated firmly. "I've annihilated your rear guard. You can't run now, even if you wish too. You're inevitably going to die. And the best thing of it all? I'm going to go down as the one who slays the so-called invincible Lord of Thieves, and from then on, no bandit or thief would dare to oppose us, because your death will be a true example of the terror we bring to you lawless bastards."

The Lord looked at both sides, surrounded by Richard's group, before he then chuckled to himself, before erupting in insane laughter.

"Oh, you really think that it matters where you have me?" The Lord cackled with insanity. "You believe that you will be able to kill me, a Apostle with immense power, with your mere mortal strength? I waste my breath talking with you! All I care about... is seeing you bleed to death before me!"

The Lord then charged at Richard, as Guts fired at the Lord, causing him to topple off his horse. However, he then stood back up, chuckling ominously, even with the bolts stuck inside of his head, and one piercing through his eyes. Guts didn't waste any time loading another clip of bolts, firing more bolts right into the head of the Lord, causing him to lurch backwards and crash through the doors of one of the houses.

"Well, so much for the famous Lord." Richard scoffed, before he turned to Velouria. "Velouria, since he is a Apostle, make sure he stays dead. Go in, and carve his head out, and do whatever it takes to ensure that he remains dead."

"Alright then." Velouria responded back, as she walked through the door, as she didn't find the Lord's body anymore, even with her enhanced senses. "Huh? Where the hell did he go!?"

She then felt the ground tremble under her feet, alerting her to the potential attack aimed at her, as she leapt backwards, just in time to avoid a large scaled tail piercing through the ground underneath the broken door, slamming down to try and crush her. Velouria growled, as she readied her claws, convinced that the battle has not ended.

"It's futile. No matter how many bolts you shoot at me, no matter how many blows you hit me with..." The Lord's voice resounded, sounding deeper with a slight echo, as a figure slowly exited the broken door. When it came to light, it was a grey bipedal snake with long toes and fingers, covered all over with scales. And inside of the snake's maw, was the leader's face, which protruded the snake's long forked tongue, which wriggled. "Mere mortals like you, can never kill me!"

He then stepped forward, towards the group. "Little girl, little girl... I'm going to eat you alive. I'm going to eat you alive, giiirrrrlll!" The Lord cried out at Velouria.

"Heh, mere mortals. What a laugh." Richard scoffed, just as Guts raised his blade at the ready. "Guts, put that down. You had your fair share of slaying Apostles, especially when you blew that cat-fish female Apostle's head out with a trap reversal. Let Velouria take care of this one, she looks like that she's ready to tear this bastard a new one."

Guts glanced at Velouria, who was utterly livid at hearing that statement from the Lord, as she growled. He then lowered his blade, as the others backed away, to allow Velouria space.

"Eat me, will you...?" Velouria growled, before she then rushed at the snake-man. "LIKE HELL! I'LL SLICE YOU TO PIECES BEFORE YOU CAN DO THAT!"

Velouria and the Lord then fought against each other, as the Lord swiped and clawed at Velouria, even sweeping his tail across to smash her across, although she dodged most of them with her quick reflexes, clawing back in retaliation, which actually managed to strike through the scaled armour around the Apostle's body, drawing blood each time she struck, eventually causing the Lord to slow down from weakness.

She then prepared to deal the finishing blow, with a claw-strike right through his head, although she was struck by the Lord's tail, which whipped around, slamming her on the ground. The Lord then smashed his tail repeatedly into the ground where Velouria was, like a mace, before he then spun around, and saw Velouria, who was in great pain.

"Oh, still breathing, are we?" The Lord remarked, before he then grabbed Velouria by the arm, lifting her up, as she was fairly unresponsive, with blood coming from her mouth. "Most humans would have had their organs crushed by the first blow and be quite dead now. But it seems that you managed to survive. But you are still weak. How pathetic humans are! You aren't human, but that only means that you will be quite the delicacy. You and humans are nothing more than food. Nothing but morsels to fill our stomachs. Food should learn to act like food and-"

Richard pulled out a large yellow hexagonal gem-stone, with the earthen symbol of a beast's paw on the front of it, as he lobbed it at Velouria. She caught it immediately, as it glowed in her hands, causing her to grin wildly, unnerving the Lord.

"You know, you should learn to shut the fuck up." Velouria mocked back. "I'm food? That's what you think? Well then, I think you need a lesson on the food chain around here."

"What... What is this!?" The Lord remarked.

"You know, I picked Velouria for a reason. Since you decided to go be a snake, I decided that the only way to deal with a beast, is to employ another beast." Richard smirked. "Velouria here is a wolfskin, capable of reaching Apostle-level transformations."

"What...!?" The Lord exclaimed, before Velouria glowed, as he dropped her, just as she landed back down, and started to transform rapidly.

When the process was done, he was face-to-face with a bipedal wolf, only slightly shorter than the Lord, covered in white fur all around her limbs, including her thick, powerful arms with clawed hands. Their stomach and chest area show exposed, black skin and they have a mantle of fur around her head and neck, and a large bushy black tail wagging behind her. Her snout and eyes were covered by a mosaic-like mask. She let out a bestial roar, before lunging at the Lord.

With her newfound strength and brutality, she clawed through the Lord's body with ruthless swipes, carving away at his body. When the Lord tried to retaliate with his tail, Velouria caught the tail with one arm, before using the other to sever it near the stump, causing the Lord to bleed heavily from the amputated limb. However, Velouria was not done yet, as she slowly dragged the Lord towards one of the larger fires.

"Stop! Stop! Please!" The Lord begged, his former pride lost, although Velouria ignored him, as she tossed him right into the fire, before smashing him right into the rubble pile, pinning him inside of it.

Richard then walked over, before he then raised a hand, as Velouria suddenly stopped, becoming completely still. He then snapped his finger, bringing out two large poles of durable metal, using them to pierce through the Lord's arms and through the ground, pinning the critically wounded Apostle to the rubble pile without any way to break free.

"Who... Who are you people!?" The Lord exclaimed with fear, to which Richard responded by turning around, and stripping off his upper clothing, revealing the Brand of the Sacrifice on him. Guts walked over, as he made sure the Lord saw the Brand as well. "Th-Those marks! It's the Brand of Sacrifice! You are-"

"The Godhand. Where are the five members of the God Hand?" Guts demanded, loading his crossbow threateningly.

"I don't know! I don't know where they are! It's not for Apostles such as I to know! I-I'm telling the truth!" The Lord begged.

"Pathetic." Guts growled, as he fired several bolts into the Lord's head, causing him to screech in agony, as he walked away.

"You might want to leave for this one, you all. This ain't going to be pretty." Richard warned everyone.

"If that is your wish, Richard." Gunter nodded, before the others left, save for the transformed Velouria and Richard.

[DEVOURDEVOURDEVOURDEVOURDEVOUR]

After Richard was sure that everyone else had left, Richard turned to the Lord with a sadistic smile on his face.

"Now then, let's talk, Lord of Thieves." Richard stated with a eerily casual tone. "Since you're about to die, I'm going to have a few words for you."

"I don't want to die! Help me! Help me!" The Lord panicked.

"How ironic, you are deaf to those same cries, and now I hear you begging so faithfully with those words." Richard chuckled maliciously. "Truly, you amuse me with such irony, Lord of Thieves."

Richard then pulled out his blade, and stabbed it right through the Lord's neck. "You know, you are quite the trouble in this land." Richard stated. "Truly, I've never have heard or witnessed a man like you, who is devoted to slaughter like it is his way of life. I would applaud you, although I'd be too disgusted to do so. I'm sure that the fresh meat from before tasted real nice, doesn't it?"

The Lord whimpered, as Richard sighed.

"Ah well, nothing I can do about that. Either way, you had your fill. And the good thing? You're just plump enough to be a feast for dear Velouria here." Richard stated, jabbing his thumb at Velouria. "Poor girl isn't satisfied with regular meat. She craves for much more delicious meals, and as her friend, I can't exactly deny that."

"A-Ah... A-Ah...!" The Lord blubbered in fear, seeing at the person who instilled so much fear into him talk about his eventual demise."

"But I can't exactly feed her poisoned meat, can I?" Richard continued, before he then twisted his blade in the Lord's body. "So I'm going to take a taste test of you."

Richard then quickly carved a bite-sized piece of the Lord's body, as he screamed in agony. When Richard popped the piece of meat out, he immediately chomped down on the bloody piece of meat, chewing it gently, before swallowing it down. After a while, Richard smiled, as if the taste of the Lord's flesh was succulent.

"They say that snake tastes much like chicken, and a bit more tough and lean." Richard remarked. "I'd say that even here, it holds true. You are quite the delicacy, Lord of Thieves."

"Wait, I'm still poisonous! You can't eat me! I'll poison you!" The Lord frantically lied, in a attempt to save himself.

"Oh please, you're just simply bluffing. You don't even have proper venom in you, Lord of Thieves." Richard scoffed. "And even if you do..."

Richard then pulled both of his blades out. "Then I'll just have to gut you clean of your glands before I let Velouria dig in." He spoke with a malicious grin on his lips.

"No... No... No... I don't want to die like this! I don't want to die like this!" The Lord screamed.

"Sorry, but this is the unbreakable law of mother nature." Richard answered back, turning away from the deathly-afraid Lord. "What you take from Mother Nature... Mother Nature takes back eventually."

As he passed by Velouria, he gently tapped the side of her torso. "Enjoy yourself, Velouria. He's grilled just right from the flames, and he's quite nutritous. So don't leave a single morsel for the other Apostles. This is your meal... and YOURS alone."

Richard then teleported out, before Velouria's jaw slowly opened itself, as she was ready to devour the Apostle before her.

"Help me! HELP ME! SAVE ME, GOD HAND! I DON'T WANT TO-"

The cries from the Lord were silenced, and replaced with cries of agony, when Velouria pounced on him, starting her devouring of the pinned Apostle.

[DEVOURDEVOURDEVOURDEVOURDEVOUR]

* * *

_After a few hours..._

Velouria came through one of the sukimas, as her mouth was stained with the Lord's fresh blood, and she looked fairly full and satisfied.

"I got to admit, for a slimy bastard, he was quite... delicious." Velouria remarked, much to the entire gathered group's shock, save for Richard.

"Did you just really... feed the Apostle to Velouria...?" Gus asked slowly, with disbelief in his voice.

"Well, actually Velouria made that choice herself. I just encouraged her to follow through with it." Richard admitted casually. "Besides, this is the one time her more feral instincts actually benefit. Now that she has fed herself, suffice to say, she will be a happy girl for the time being."

Richard then walked past the group, as they watched him leave, before then looking at Velouria.

"What are you staring at me for? Moment I reverted, Richard told me it was irony, because this guy was famous for eating anything human alive." Velouria stated. "Remembered him saying about the balance of nature or something like that. Either way, bastard deserved it, and I'm not changing my mind on that."

"We should get going." Gus stated to everyone, as Guts already followed after Richard.

As the rest of the group started to move, Gus moved towards Link, as he intended to speak with the Hylian warrior.

"Link, I think that this world is twisting Richard in ways that are horrifying." Gus stated with a slightly fearful tone. "I know that we have a mission to work with Guts here... But the longer we stay here... The more I fear Richard's darker nature will taint him in the long-term."

"I'm aware..." Link stated. "But Richard still seems like that he's still reasonably sane at this point of time. Let us hope that he doesn't commit such a atrocious act. Somehow, I think that the real monsters are not the Apostles, but Richard himself... He is a force of darkness far greater than them, yet he stands on the side of humanity."

"Let us hope it stays that way... For the sake of both us and him..." Gus muttered, before they separated from each other.


	11. Chapter 10

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 10: The Demon Count

* * *

_In another city, several days after the death of the Lord of Thieves..._

The townspeople gathered right in front of the wooden execution stand, which was connected to a large tent, whose front flaps were left open, to show the person inside of it. The executed, a young woman with long ginger hair, was being held down by black-clad executioners, her neck on a beheading stock, as there is a wrinkled priest in front, holding a scroll in his hands to recite it. Inside of that crowd, Richard's group were toward the front end of it, as Gus did his best to avert Elma's eyes from the inevitable execution, while the others silently watched it, although some of them were visibly unsettled by the scene.

"Verdict! The Inquisition hereby finds the accused guilty of making a pact with the devil and engaging in heresy most foul." The priest declared. "The accused is therefore sentenced to immediate execution."

"It's a lie! You've got to believe me! I'm not a heretic! I swear-" The woman frantically begged, before one of the executioners beheaded her mid-sentence, as her severed head bounced and rolled off, as the crowd was in fear from the execution that just occurred. After the execution was performed, the priest walked into the tent.

Puck quivered in Elma's cloak, as he witnessed the execution, while Elma grimaced, already aware of what just happened. Gus, Corrin and Link turned away with regret on their faces for being unable to save the innocent woman's life. "How terrible..." Puck muttered.

"How many does this make since the beginning of the month?" One of the young males muttered.

"Killing innocent people under the excuse of heresy... What is the Count thinking?" One of the elders added.

Richard walked forward, as the severed head of the woman was right beneath him. He then picked up the head, as he faced it towards him, and saw the despaired expression on it, as her cheeks were stained with tears, and the stump was still bleeding. Looking up at the tent, where he saw the priest talking to a large pudgy man with a dough-like face, sitting on his golden throne, and dressed in a grey toga. Richard then smiled, bringing out a small dagger and inscribing a message precisely into the face of the woman.

"Sister!" A young boy cried, seeing Richard defile the woman's severed head, as he rushed towards him, although he was stopped by one of the armoured guards. When he tried to push that, the guard used his metal-ended pole to smack the child back down, as the boy now sported a bleeding cheek.

"Anyone caught sympathising with a heretic will not go unpunished, even children!" The guard mocked. "You'll be thrown in a dungeon."

Elma's face creased, when he saw the guard smack the child again with his pole, when the young one tried to stand up. Velouria immediately took action, as he snatched the pole from the guard's hands, and broke it in two over her knee. The child was quickly pulled back by the concerned citizens, as the guard looked at Velouria with a incensed expression.

"You dare...!? Do you know what you're committing right now?" The guard growled.

"Other than domestic abuse?" Velouria retorted back, as she stepped right towards the guard, shoving her enraged face into the guard's own. "You smack that child again, and I'll snap your frail arms apart. And I don't need to be a heretic to do that, nor do I have to be. Heretic or not, smacking a child in grievance is a sin of its own. Perhaps you're also guilty of heresy, you bastard?"

"I will-" The guard roared, raising his fist to strike Velouria.

At the same time, Richard was approached too, by another guard, who walked up towards Richard, as the black-haired leader noticed him. The guard tried to intimidate Richard with his spear, although the latter was not amused at the attempt.

"Hand that over to me, will ya?" The guard asked gruffly.

Richard looked at him silently for a few moments, before he then smiled with oozing sarcasm.

"No. Fuck off." He responded back with false sweetness, before he then back-handed the guard hard enough to smash through the guard's skull, rendering him bleeding and comatose.

At the same time, Velouria raised her leg in a fierce kick, as it found its target on the guard's groin, hard enough to pulverise the reproductive organs, and fracture the pelvis at the same time. The guard fainted after that, with drool leaking out of his mouth.

After taking care of the guard, Richard then flung the head right towards the pudgy man, who caught it with one hand, surprising the priest. When he turned around the head to face him, he saw the message engraved on it, with the symbol of the Brand next to the words: 'I KNOW YOU.'

The crowd was in uproar, seeing the guards being beaten so roughly by Richard and Velouria, as the guards didn't dare to move, afraid of sharing the same fate as the two guards that were unfortunate enough to garner the wrath of either of them. The pudgy man then looked down, with a expression of realisation, towards Richard, who then turned around, and revealed his Brand to him. Richard's head then turned around, as he gave a dark smirk towards the man, before redressing himself.

Richard then pushed through the crowd, as he passed by his group. "Separate, don't let them associate you with me or Velouria unless it's unavoidable." He informed the others, who followed his command, and spread out. Velouria then left through the crowd as well, as they were lost within it, unable to be found by the guards.

"What are you doing just standing there? After the both of them!" The priest growled, before he then heard a squelching noise behind him, causing him to see that his leader, dropped the crushed head, and was laughing wildly.

Richard slowly paced through the streets, keeping an eye and ear out for the guards, as he purposefully made his way towards an dead-end alley, before turning around and facing the approaching city guards, who lined into formation in front of him.

"By decree of the Inquisition, you are hereby placed under arrest for conspiring with heretics!" The leader of the guards declared. "If you resist, your life is forfeit!"

Richard responded with laughter, unnerving the guards, before he then gave them a irritated expression. "Oh please, you're just giving me a choice of whether to die now or die later by execution." Richard dryly responded back. "What kind of idiot would be stupid enough to die willingly? I ain't one for sure, as you may have witnessed earlier. Only way to kill me is by fighting me. But the question is..."

He then drew his blades. "Do you really think that you have what it takes to injure me, let alone kill me?" Richard taunted. "Without a blade, I crushed your comrade's skull with a back-hand. I do believe you can imagine what that strength would do when used with blades, or have the years of serving a inept count has caused your minds to waste away like shrivelled meat?"

"KILL HIM!" The leader roared, infuriated by the taunt, as the guards rushed towards Richard with his spears.

However, they could not do a single thing, as Richard sped through them, causing the heads of several guards to fly off, amputating arms and legs in a frenzy of slashes, and even crushing the head of one of the guards with his bare hand, resulting in his right hand being coated with blood. And when the crossbowmen above tried to shoot him, he parried each of their arrows, catching a few of them, and sending them back to their shooters, through their heads.

After almost a large portion of the guard party has been slaughtered, a large bulky individual, covered in steel armour, with a bolted face mask on his helmet, wielding a large bladed war-hammer in his hands, stepped forward, as the guards stood away, muttering 'C-Captain!' or 'Lord Zondark!'

"That's quite the skill you have here." Zondark stated. "Let's see how well you measly blades will fare, when I put it to test against this war-hammer!"

Richard merely glared at the guard captain, as the war-hammer swung down towards him, before he then flipped the grip of the blade in his right hand, pointing it towards himself, freeing up several of his fingers, and quickly grabbing the war-hammer by the blade, stopping it right where it was, stunning both Zondark and the guards nearby.

"War-hammer? This measly pole?" Richard mocked, as Zondark tried to wrench his war-hammer free of Richard's grip, which was too tight for him to break free off. "This glorified pole-axe is nothing compared to a proper war-hammer. Because..."

Richard then dropped his other blade, before karate-chopping the steel pole hard enough, enveloping his hand with green wind magic, as it sliced cleanly through the metal, as Zondark backed away with a head-less war-hammer, and Richard was holding the other part by the pole.

"...It's far too weak and frail of a build to work." Richard continued. "A better use for this disgrace of a weapon is... as a THROWING AXE!"

Richard then flung the bladed hammer head towards Zondark's own head, as the blade pieced through the captain's head, as he screamed in agony, clutching the embedded weapon head, staggering back, before falling on his back. Richard wasted no time walking up to him, and placing a foot on the blunt squared end of the head, and stomping down on it hard, as the entire head went through Zondark's head, causing a pool of blood to form under his feet.

The guards backed away, before they went into full retreat. Richard raised his hand, ready to snap his fingers to eradicate the fleeing guards, before he lowered it, deciding that it was not worth ensuring complete annihilation of the enemy. He then stepped off the dead body of the guard captain, before sighing deeply and opening a sukima to check on his friends.

Through his sukima, he found that Velouria was still fighting guard, as the carved corpses of the dead guards piled around her, and that the rest of his friends were merely being questioned, although most of them were not found being involved in any of this, although Gus and Elma were in danger, due to the guards being a bit more nosy around them. Richard prepared a ice spell, to eradicate the guards, should it come to blows with them.

However, after a while, Gus managed to persuade them to leave them be, as Richard closed the sukima, fairly sure that everyone is safe and sound, save for Velouria, who he would go and assist. He dashed towards the location, using his own arcane senses to guide him towards his friend, before he found her standing triumphant over her pursuers, as she was covered in blood, along with her clawed weapons. She turned her head towards Richard, with a murderous look in her eyes, causing Richard to instinctively raise his hands in a gesture of peace.

"Woah there, calm down, it's me, Velouria." Richard told her gently, as Velouria's glare faded away. "The others are safe. And I don't think that we'll be chased for a while."

"Hmph, better for us then." Velouria growled, before they both heard the sound of a metal bar clattering on the ground, causing them to whirl around, with their weapons at the ready.

They saw that there was a hand holding one of the iron bars, that was formerly connected to the window-hole on one side of the alley, as they squinted to get a closer look at the stranger, who was dressed in a ragged cloak, his face bandaged heavily, and what little of his revealed skin was scarred and torn heavily.

"W-Wait! I'm not a enemy to either of you!" The man called out, his voice slightly wheezy and weak. "I know a way around the city to take you a place where you both will be hidden. I swear that I'm not tricking you. I wouldn't dare to cross either of you."

"You better not." Velouria threatened back.

"Velouria, calm down." Richard harshly scolded Velouria with a frown, before turning to the cloaked man. "Alright, we'll take your word. Besides, it's not like that you have any loyalty to the Count here, so I'll trust you."

Velouria scoffed back at Richard, before the both of them slid through the window-hole, as the man took the rest of the iron bars off, before setting them back in place when both of them were through. In there, they could see that the man was short, hobbled-over, and had a very round head, holding a wooden cane in his hands.

"Follow me." The man stated, as the three of them went through a dark passageway, before exiting into the outer reaches of the city. "You seem fairly silent. Has there been something on your minds?"

"Not much." Richard answered back tersely. "I assume that you have seen the spectacle at the execution, haven't you?"

"I have, and I feel like that you are the ones that will free this city from the count." The man answered back, before they stopped before one of the doors, on one of the underground stairways. "Here we are."

The man opened the door with a rusted key, before the group came in, finding themselves in a tidied laboratory, with various tools, biological objects, and preservation jars strewn over the place. Richard was slightly interested by the appearance of the room.

"A man of science, aren't you?" Richard remarked. "I suppose that makes you a heretic suspect that can easily be proven 'guilty'."

"Heh heh, you are close, young one." The man chuckled back with his raspy voice. "I'm just a has-been physician. That's all."

The man then stopped before turning around to face both of them. "Now, you done everything, because of a grudge against the Count? Is it... revenge?"

"Well, you answered right on my behalf. Although you need context for that." Richard confirmed, before pointing at Velouria. "She however, was just sick and tired of child abuse and torture. She just wanted to smack a disrespectful bastard. And well, she's done far worse. I'd say that the guard she neutered won't be able to even urinate or defecate at all, with how much pelvic damage she caused."

"Heh heh, then I suppose that you want to know what I stand to gain with your help." The man responded back, before he then folded back his cloak, and undid the bandages on his face, as Velouria flinched at the grisly sight of the man's face, which looked partially melted away, including his nose, a large part of the right side of his face. "I want you to cut him into little pieces... that demon!"

"...Well, wish granted." Richard answered back, crossing his arms. "And I won't ask for anything. Call it payback for your help in shaking them off. The rest of my friends managed to split up to avoid association with either of us for now. But I like to ask, how did the Count manage to scar you so deeply, both emotionally and physically?"

"Look at me, these legs, this face!" The man yelled, revealing the wooden stumps he had for legs. "That fiend cut them up piece by piece and ate them! And he... He...!"

"I see... don't try to force yourself to bring up your own trauma." Richard responded back. "Whatever had occurred with you, it must have been a terrifying and sorrowful experience."

"...You are more kind than I expected. Very well, allow me to show you something." The man stated, before he walked over, and tugged down on the skeletal jaws of a shark, hanging up on one of the walls, as the section of the wall parted away, revealing a secret room. When Richard came into it, he found that there was a green behelit lying on a cushion.

"...I see." Richard stated. "I may not know your name, but you have done a great deed in ensuring this object doesn't fall into the hands of those who desire it."

"You know what it is!?" The man demanded.

"I do. But I need to bring my friends here." Richard responded back, before he then raised his hand, before summoning several sukimas. Within a few moments, the rest of Richard's group entered the room, surprising the owner of the room greatly, as his jaw was wide open, and he was choking on his breath.

"So... Who is this person?" Guts asked Richard, pointing at the aghast man.

"Don't you worry, he's helping us out, by ensuring that we have a place to hide from the patrolling guards." Richard assured Guts, while the others looked around the room, as Puck fainted, when he saw a preservation jar holding a female elf pixie, with Elma catching him before he could fall to the ground, with a worried expression on her face.

"You're... You're...!" The man stuttered.

"Yeah, I'm not exactly full human either." Richard answered back to the man with a disarming smile. "Thing is, unlike the Count, who shed his humanity for demon-hood, I embraced humanity to complement my inhuman qualities. So I ain't no flesh-eater like him, got that?"

"...It seems that the only one to kill a demon is another..." The man spoke with understanding. "Even so, my request will not change."

When Guts saw the Behelit, he was shocked completely for a few moment, before then storming over towards the short man, and lifting him by the neck with his metal arm, slowly choking the man out, much to everyone's dismay, while the man shrieked in fear.

"Who the hell are you? Where did you get this thing?" Guts demanded.

"Guts, calm the hell down!" Richard shouted back. "Put him down, he's been through enough already!"

Guts looked at Richard, before he then slowly lowered the man. "Tell me about it. Tell me everything you know." Guts told the man.

"My name is Vargas. I used to be the castle physician, as I have told your friend earlier." The man explained. "In those days, the Count was cruel, but he was still humane. But seven years ago, after getting hold of this thing, the Count changed! He began to treat people as if they were mere playthings, dissecting them alive, slicing them open, chopping them up, violating them, and then eating them. His inquisition of heretics became nothing more than an excuse to acquire more bodies for his pleasure."

The less iron-willed of the members flinched and recoiled hearing the graphic descriptions of the Count's cruel methods of torture and murder. "I couldn't bear to be a part of the Count's diversions, so I secretly fled the castle with my wife and my two sons. But on our way out, we were caught and thrown into prison." Vargas continued. "And so he left me in this horrible shape, and devoured my wife and my sons before me! Even now, the image is seared into my memory! At that time, more than anger and sorrow, more than concern for my lost loved ones... I was... I was nothing but a prisoner of fear before the Count. I faked my death with a self-concocted drug, and slipped out of the castle when the chance came, snatching this thing along the way. It was a miracle. Since the seven years that have passed, I've tirelessly researched every aspect of religion and the occult. But I couldn't even uncover a single clue about it. This thing... what in the world is it?"

While Elma was in tears at Vargas's cruel fate, Guts stepped forward, before he took the behelit in his own hands. "A key. That key opens a portal to another world that overlaps our own... It's a key that summons demons from another dimension that has manipulated the dark side of human history since ancient time. The five members of the God Hand."

Vargas looked at Guts, before Richard snatched the behelit from Guts's hands, causing the dark swordsman to turn to his companion.

"Guts... You really shouldn't be telling him about this." Richard answered back. "These things... are best left unknown."

"I know... But since he is curious, I may as well indulge him." Guts answered back with a grunt.

"Fine, but this behelit..." Richard answered back, as the hand holding the behelit was charging up with arcane energy. "It must be destroyed immediately."

"Richard, don't you dare..." Guts growled at Richard.

"Guts, how many damn times do I have to tell you? The less behelits that there exist in this world, the better." Richard retorted back. "I know how much you want to pay the God Hand back for vengeance. I feel the same. But right now, your chances of being able to even fight at their level, let alone beat them, is as much of a chance as a snowball in the hottest inferno imaginable. We need to wane their power by severing their links to this world, the Apostles. And we will continue to do so, until you have grown strong enough, and they have lost enough of their former might, to render them vulnerable to us 'mortals'. Am I clear?"

Guts stared back at Richard, before he then slammed his fist against the wooden table, causing it to creak loudly, before he then stomped towards one of the chairs, and sat himself down, turning away from Richard.

"I know it's hard, but it's for the best, Guts. It always is." Richard sighed with some regret in his voice, before the arcane aura surrounded the behelit. With a clench of his fist, the arcane aura attacked the behelit, tearing it apart from every single part of its surface. When he was done, there was no trace that the behelit ever existed.

"So, what do we do now?" Antonio asked, looking slightly bored. "When are we going to take the Count down?"

"We could do it now-" Richard offered.

"Oh no, no... It would be far too dangerous to seek the Count's head right now." Vargas stated. "Wait until nightfall. There is a secret path that I know, which will allow you to infiltrate the Count's castle with significantly less opposition."

"That sounds like a good plan to me." Gus agreed. "Everyone, your thoughts?"

"It would be wise to consider the advice." Gunter answered back

"Yeah, same here, I'd know if he were trying to dupe us, and I'd say he's not lying his teeth off." Reimu answered back.

"Mr Vargas..." Elma stated, as he approached the scarred physician. "I can heal you if you wish. I may not be able to restore your legs or your lost eye, but I can heal the rest of you."

"A young miss, offering to be my healer..." Vargas stated, touched by Elma's compassion. "To trouble yourself for a old has-been like me... You are a kind child. I only wish that you will be able to grow up and become a person to bring hope to miserable people like myself."

Elma nodded, before she then used her magic to heal up Varga's body, as his face slowly reverted to its original state, with the skin being far more smooth and clean, and his entire body was cleansed of any old wound scars. Vargas also felt some of his lost strength returning to him, as he felt much more lively.

"It seems that your healing was effective, little miss." Vargas stated, as he smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

"I am merely glad that I was able to ease your suffering, Mr Vargas." Elma responded back.

Richard suddenly felt a dark presence approaching towards their location, as he quickly opened up a sukima to check the presence in question. When he did, he found that Zondark was moving towards where they were, although in place of his crushed head, there was a slug-like creature controlling the body.

"...It seems that we're not as safe as we seem." Richard stated, before he then flexed his left hand's fingers, tracing a magic circle on it. "Mind if I just surprise you for a few moments, Vargas. It'll be quick and harmless."

Vargas didn't respond back, as he watched Richard pour his own magic into the magic circle he created, as it glowed a burning red. He then shot the magic circle right into the sukima, as it placed itself right over the sukima itself, before it then let out a spray of flames that caught the parasite-infested knight by surprise, as it was burned to black ashes after a few moments of immolation by the flames.

"There, that should keep us safe for the time being." Richard stated, closing his sukima. "Now then, let's spend some time waiting."

"How do you intend to pass the time then?" Link asked, before Richard conjured two card decks.

"Why simple, what better way to have in-mission entertainment than good ol' card games?" Richard smiled back.

* * *

_An hour_ later...

Richard, Reimu, Link, Elma and Gus were nearing the end of a round, as the discard pile between them was quite huge. Richard was down to five cards, while Gus was down to three, Reimu with three cards, and Elma with 8 cards, and Link having 12 cards still left in his hand. Puck was helping Elma out, by sneaking several peeks at the hands of the adjacent players, which were Gus and Reimu. He took a peek at Gus's hand, which contained a pair of aces, and a black joker.

"_Elma... I think that you should use a straight or a three of a kind... Gus only got one high pair and a black joker._" Puck whispered his advice into Elma's ears, while everyone was distracted checking their own cards, and the rest of the gathered crowd were watching the players tensely.

Elma nodded, as she shuffled her cards around, so that she had a 10-J-Q-K-A straight, with two extra aces and a spade 2 in it. Having won the current round, she started the pile with her straight. As soon as she laid her cards down, Richard smirked, before he then pulled out four cards, smacking them down face-up, revealing that it was a four-of-a-kind of 2s.

"Quad 2s, tactical nuke." Richard smugly stated. "Anyone like to challenge that? I bet none of you have any card group above 4 cards right now!"

Reimu chuckled maliciously, as Richard turned his head towards Reimu. Reimu then smacked a pair of cards down, revealing that it was a pair of jokes, a black and a red.

"Rocket fired." Reimu mocked back, before she pushed the round pile into the discard pile, before placing her final card down, which was a diamond 5. "I win."

"Oh, you sly fox!" Richard cursed, slamming his only hand card down, which was a spade king. "Had to do it right when I had my fingerprints on the victory cup, just to spite me!"

"Hey, don't blame me for having the luck this round." Reimu chuckled.

"Good christ..." Richard sighed, before he then pushed the card pile to Link. "Link, you're last place this round. You know the rules."

"I know, I know." Link responded back, as he started to arrange the card pile, before shuffling it clumsily. Elma passed her hand cards to Link, who added them to the pile, while Puck looked slightly dejected.

"This really sucks, Richard knows the game too well... And Reimu's just too lucky to even hit last place for any round." Puck sighed. "But at least we won a few rounds, right? I'm sure that it felt nice getting one over dark and gloomy over here, right?"

"I can hear you, pest." Guts growled at Puck for the insult, as the elf flinched, while Elma comforted him with a few hand-pats.

"Well, it's all for fun, right?" Elma asked.

"For the rest of you, yeah." Richard answered back. "But between me and Reimu, we're keeping score for ourselves. Just ourselves. Reminds us who owes who how much, when the time comes. And I don't intend to surrender my stash to Reimu without a good fight."

"Dream on, I'm going to enjoy sucking more and more of your money for myself." Reimu challenged Richard.

"Alright, whoever wants the next round, come on in! We got enough cards to make this a fairly even game for up to 8 players!" Richard called out to the crowd.

Antonio, Gunter and Virion joined in, while Link bailed out, after he finished shuffling the deck. Vargas watched as Richard dealt out the cards to the seven players, leaving Richard, Reimu and Gus with the extra card in their hands.

"So this is what you do to pass your time. A interesting game indeed." Vargas remarked.

"Well, what can we say? Richard cares for us like true friends." Link responded back. "That includes making sure that there are ways to strengthen our friendship. Card games like this help to raise the atmosphere. After all, you cannot deny that, having played a few rounds yourself. You are pretty good, managing to get a close second in most of your attempts."

"I am humbled to be praised like this." Vargas admitted, before the next round of cards began.

* * *

_At nightfall... _

The group immediately exited through another passage hidden from the common eye, as it took them to a small forest nearby.

"From here, if you proceed eastwards, you will be able to reach the Count's castle without much resistance." Vargas informed the party. "This is where the both of us will part. We may never see each other again, but you have done so much for me, despite what little I have done for you."

Guts grunted, before he then started trudging through the forest, as several members followed after him, to ensure that he is accompanied. Richard remained with Vargas, turning towards the short man.

"If you want to repay me, do your best to help this city recover. That's all I ask of you." Richard answered back, before he then pulled out something. "Here, catch."

Vargas quickly caught the object, as Richard flung it at him, as he found that it was a stone with ink runes inscribed on it. "What is it?" He asked Richard.

"Just in case you might be found. This stone will render you invisible to the demonic eye, so as long as you keep possession of it, you won't be found by demons and be forced into a repeat of your sorrid past." Richard answered back. "Either way, it's off to slay the Count I go, so farewell, Vargas the physician."

Richard then followed after the rest of the group, as Elma waited for Vargas, while the others left. Puck then came out of Elma's cloak, as he looked at Vargas with concern. "Old fella... Vargas... Take care of yourself... Okay?"' He told the short physician.

"I say the same to you, I hope that you will be able to live a happy life. I'm sure that your wife and children will be proud of you, for trying so hard to live for their sake." Elma stated. "And they'll be there to support you, when you help the city back."

"I will. And take care of yourself, little one, and young miss." Vargas nodded.

"At first, I thought that you were a little creepy. But... You're actually a good person." Puck admitted. "And one more thing... I think that people need to keep living. Because y'see..."

"Let me explain, Puck." Elma offered, before turning back to Vargas. "I know that the past can be so cruel on you. But it is the future that matters the most for you. You don't need to let your past define what you are, and what you will be. Even if you may have done bad things in the past, as long as you have the will and the desire to work for the better of yourself and others in the future, it will all be fine, and you'll eventually find a happy end for yourself."

"Such philosophical words from a young one like you." Vargas chuckled. "You are quite right. I suppose that I leave my grudge with you, so that I can live on with no more regrets."

"Farewell, Mr Vargas." Elma bowed, before she then followed after the rest of the group.

'_Such a dear elf, and a dear young sorceress..._' Vargas thought. '_Perhaps there might be some hope for the world..._'

Back with Richard and his group, they were fighting off vengeful spirits, which also now took the form of rotten and worn skeletons, wielding blades and boned claw. The group cut down the dark spirits, as the undead moaned and wailed.

'It hurts... It hhuuuurrrttss...!'

'I want my head back!'

'His head...! We want the Count's heads!'

'We want revenge...! Together...!'

"Everyone, gather around me!" Richard shouted. "It looks like these spirits have no idea who they think they're messing with."

Everyone except Guts did what Richard asked, as Guts managed to stop a spirit from possessing him. Richard then raised a hand, as a large orb of darkness grew on top of it, as his expression darkened.

"Look upon this orb of darkness, look upon this orb, filled with my vengeance and hatred." Richard intoned, as the spirits ceased their movements, their various eyes affixed to Richard, whose voice sounded demonic. "I ask you this, spirits of the dead? Do you believe that you are capable of being able to even bear, let alone comprehend this much hatred and animosity?"

The spirits didn't respond back, as Richard scoffed. "This is the guilty weight that we all bear within our hearts. You believe that we are weaker with hatred and vengeance than any of you." He continued, mocking the spirits. "You are sorely mistaken. You know nothing of true hatred, you know nothing of the hate that permeates our heart, hidden behind our human faces. You only embraced vengeance at the last moments of your waking life. Thus, your vengeance is merely newborn. Our vengeance is pure, simmering through years, decades, centuries even. Your grudges are nothing but specks of black compared to the dark eclipse that is my curse of hatred."

The spirits slowly backed away, as they began to fear Richard. "Now leave, you have no place trying to take our bodies to exact your measly vengeance." Richard concluded. "Rest in your graves and pass on. Your wishes of retribution will be answered. But it will only be by our hands. We are encumbered by the weight of sin, while you merely carried it, so only we are fit to take what is ours."

The spirits then fled away, as Richard dispelled the orb of darkness, visibly exhausted.

"Phew... That should keep them away from us for the night." Richard remarked.

"...Where the hell did you manage to get that kind of speech from?" Guts commented as well, intrigued by Richard's uncanny method of dealing with the undead spirits.

"I made it up, not lying." Richard answered back. "They are spirits formed of vengeance, so I proven that they're not worthy of possessing any of us, because they're too weak, and too light-hearted, even as a vengeful spirit to be able to succeed, due to the strength of our heart, and yes, the vengeance and hate burning in all of us, if not the determined will that shield it."

The group then made their way through the rest of the passage to the Count's castle, where they found, true to Vargas's words, only a few guards, which were quickly dispatched without raising any suspicion or alert for the castle personnel themselves. When they reached the door to the audience chamber, Richard felt the Count's presence on the other side of the doors.

"It looks like the Count expected us." Richard remarked, sensing the various tentacles that were buried underneath the ground of the castle, belonging to the potential Apostle. "We're going to have to decide how we're going to take this bastard down."

"I'm going to tear his head off myself." Guts stated, pushing past the group to open the doors.

"Hold up a second." Richard answered back, before he then turned to Guts. "Gus... Give Guts a hand, will you?"

"What do you... Oh, I see what you mean." Gus answered back, before he then walked over to Guts, before placing his hand on Guts's large weapon, as it suddenly burst in flames, surprising Guts.

"Whoa, what the hell?" Guts exclaimed.

"Don't worry, the fire won't touch you. Even if it does, it's magically enhanced not to harm the wielder." Richard answered back. "You'll need it, because you might remember this guy from early on."

Guts swiped his hand over the flames, as he only felt the heat, which felt warm for him, before then pushing past the door, as he noticed that the Count was on the other side of the chamber. When they saw him, Guts's eyes widened, when he realised it was the same Apostle that he and Richard fought off in the Eclipse.

"I've been waiting for you... Black Swordsman!" The Count spoke in his demonic voice. "Now, show it to me! Show me how much one mere human can do."

"This human here just killed a lot more Apostles than you think-" Guts growled, before Richard walked in front of him, surprising the Count.

"Oh, it's you, the Twin-Bladed Reaper." The Count remarked. "I remember that declaration directed at me, and the time that you and the Black Swordsman fought against me."

"That's right, you damn slug. I don't forget my enemies that easily." Richard smirked back. "Speaking of which, I'm sure that you remember the sensation of being torn apart by the purification salt? The holy properties, mixed with the natural enemy of slugs like you... It is much more agonising than being bathed in acid itself, doesn't it?"

"You...!" The Count growled, before he then charged at the two of them. "No mercy...! No mercy for either of you, worms...!"

Guts then rushed towards the Count, before he slashed his blade down right on the Count, halting his charge, as the flaming great-sword managed to injure the slug Apostle considerably, while Richard backed away.

"Sorry, but your fight is with Guts, or the Black Swordsman, as you like to call him." Richard stated. "And by the way, Guts... Slugs don't die just because their bodies are crushed. Only way to kill them, and thus this fat shit? Go for the head. The fire will weaken him if you burn him enough times to slow his regeneration down."

"Right, keeping that in mind." Guts muttered, before he then charged at the Count, who slapped Guts away with an arm, sending him flying through the air.

However, Guts righted himself, landing on the side of one of the stone pillars of the chamber, sliding down, and dropping on his feet. The Count charged at him, before Guts dodged at the last moment, causing the Count to charge right into the pillar, destroying it and kicking up a large dust-cloud that obscured the Count's vision. Guts took the chance to strike the Count from behind, as his blade cut deep into the Apostle's body, causing him to scream in pain. As soon as the dust cloud dispersed, the Count looked around for Guts, only to be unable to find him. Guts was hiding behind another pillar, expecting the Count to charge into one, and expose himself again.

"To think that someone can survive with the Brand carved into their flesh..." The Count stated. "So, is this your revenge? How foolish. This is a war mere mortals like you can never win. Divine providence cannot be thwarted by one man's efforts. It's not worth being constantly hounded by demons, chopped to pieces... there's no need for you to continue your war of pain and fear... that's right... it's a meaningless fight! You should put an end to it now... I will release you from your suffering. The fact that you are just a human... is your downfall! It is simply irrational to think you can defeat me. For I am beyond human!"

"If you want to stop me, you're going to have to crush my skull or pierce my heart... just like you, slug." Guts mocked back.

"Damn you, you dare mock me! I will crush you to pulp!" The Count roared, running towards the direction where he heard Gut's voice, as he swung his arms around, hoping to floor or crush Guts with them. However, his attacks destroyed another stone pillar, kicking up a dust cloud. This time, Guts decided to end the fight, as he leapt right into the air, surprising the Count.

He then rapidly fired an entire clip of crossbow bolts into the Count's face, stunning him, as well as temporarily blinding him by taking out his eyes. He then engaged his right arm's mechanism, as the metal arm folded into a large cannon, which fired a explosive round that tore the Count's face apart, although not finishing him yet. The final blow, was when Guts landed back down, before he then went for a powerful upwards swing with a roar, as he cut the Count in half with his mighty strike, especially the head, as the two halves fell apart, as the Count let out a death cry.

Guts then turned to leave, as the slimy body of the Apostle melted away, as if his death caused the body to decompose away. When he greeted the group, he gave Richard a prideful smile, which the black-haired partner responded back.

"Well, I guess that the city is going to be seeing better days from now on, with Vargas and the citizens taking back control and freedom of the city." Richard remarked.

"Yeah yeah, let's find the next apostle." Gut impatiently stated. "We might have a while to take, before we can reach them anyway."

"Alright, I'll get looking." Richard stated, as the group left the castle.


	12. Chapter 11

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 11: Holy Iron Chain Knights

* * *

_In a dark forest, at night..._

The group were on their way through the forest, as they were making their way to find other Apostles. Since the death of the Count, the group managed to take out various lesser Apostles, who were less powerful or clever as the previous two major Apostles they have fought before. However, they have no clue where any powerful Apostles, which seek to ruin the balance of the world, reside at, despite Richard's attempt to search for them.

"We're a dead end, it seems..." Richard remarked to everyone in the group, while trudging through the dark night. "It seems that we have no rumours, no clue where any notable Apostles are."

"But isn't that good news...?" Gus asked, before Richard turned to glare at him, causing him to reconsider his words. "I mean... That means that we've managed to do a proper job in helping the people around this land?"

"I wouldn't grow complacent if I were you." Reimu warned Gus. "You forget that anything could go wrong here. After we have seen almost everything that could turn wrong or twisted occur here... I wouldn't start letting down our guard or our duty, especially not our guard. After all, the world is still shrouded in darkness and evil."

"And it is not as simply easy to resolve this, as our previous struggles." Gunter added. "At least before, the foes had reason and humanity, and thus never result in consequences as severe as these. But now that our enemies are demons, that are without moral or restraint... There is no end to the cries for help we may have to answer, and no end to our quest to eradicate these demons."

"You're not wrong. But still, can't just give up yet." Antonio responded back. "After all, we did help Guts out with all of this, and we have done so much for each other, that it wouldn't be a good idea to leave him alone to continue all of this, right?"

Guts grunted, as he listened in on the conversation, although he felt that it wasn't of much interest to him. When he looked around, he saw that Corrin was watching around for anything of interest, while Elma was conversing with Puck.

"Puck... Do you think that we'll be able to make things right again...?" Elma asked. "All of this... This is just wrong... The demons from where I came from... They never would commit such atrocious acts on people."

"I don't know... All I can do is to support Guts and Richard." Puck answered back. "Because they and all of you are the only hope of setting things right. After all, they helped that old man, Vargas. I think that if there is someone who can save this world, it's the both of them, and I strongly believe that."

"I feel the same." Elma responded back. "Richard... He would never stop fighting to help people, even though he might be... slightly wrong sometimes."

"Elma..." Puck remarked, noticing the worried expression on Elma's expression, when she spoke about Richard's behaviour.

Suddenly, Richard halted his step, as he immediately placed a hand through his clothes, feeling the Brand on his back, and the blood that were leaking out of it, as Guts felt a sensation of pain, and the blood leaking down his neck. They both noticed that the amount of agony that their Brands were producing, was stronger than in a typical night, causing them to become alert, as they drew their blades.

"What's wrong?" Link asked.

"The Brand... It's reacting strongly... Too strongly..." Richard responded back, before he then looked around. "It feels like a mid-level Apostle, something just around the likes of the former Lord of Thieves. But there has been no reports of any paranormal activity around here... I need to confirm what we're dealing with first..."

Richard then raised his hand, before he then carved a magic circle above him, as it glowed white, before it then rose into the air, and released a blue pulse that spread out towards the outer edges of the large forest. When the pulse passed through, it showed the ethereal figures of the spirits through the trees and darkness to Richard. However, when he saw the sheer amount of spirit converging towards both him and Guts, which could be considered a sea of spirits, he paled considerably, causing the others to harbour worry after seeing the change of expression.

"Richard?" Elma asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"Gus... Link... Reimu..." Richard muttered, as the mentioned turned towards their leader, who faced them with a grim expression. "Take the others and run from the forest as fast as you can. And don't stop until you cannot sense a single spirit that is pursuing after you. No matter what."

"Richard...!?" Corrin asked. "You're telling us to abandon you and Guts...!?"

"Yeah, that's not going to happen!" Antonio shouted. "So what if it is another Apostle! We'll kick their ass together-"

"It's not an Apostle. Not even a small gathering of them." Richard interrupted Antonio. "No, it's a swarm of spirits. I don't know what happened here, that caused a massive raising of the undead, but there is a hell lot of them, especially the ethereal spirits. The numbers before us... amount to at least 10,000."

"10,000!?" Virion exclaimed with shock. "Dear lord, that's far too much more than what we usually find ourselves against! And you're saying that you two alone are capable of fighting against them all?"

"Virion... no, everyone. I know what might be running through your mind right now." Richard remarked. "But trust me on this, just this once. You need to get to safety, before the entirety of the enemy swarm crashes upon us all. These are odds that are dangerous for you all. I cannot have you all be in danger fighting against these kind of enemies in such great numbers. Do you all understand?"

Reimu was about to interject, before she then noticed what Richard just said, as her complaint died in her throat. '_I see what Richard is trying to do here... So it's that kind of problem, huh... We already had several close shaves with possession. Of course, I myself am highly resistant to it, but the others... It's a great risk for them, one far too great that Richard suggested this alternative..._' She thought. '_Fine then... I guess that considering that Richard and Guts are both too strong-willed to be hijacked at all, they're the only ones who can fight on without any risk of losing their bodies to the possessors._'

"...I understand." Gunter stated, before he then dragged Corrin onto his horse. "Lady Corrin..."

Corrin didn't respond back, as she nodded solemnly. Reimu quickly brandished her gohei, as she then gestured for the others to follow. "With me. I'll ensure that we all make it out of the forest without having to deal with as much of the enemies around here as possible." She told everyone.

The other members of the group followed after Reimu, heading towards the nearest path out of the forest. As soon as the group were out of sight, the two swordsmen quickly lined themselves back-to-back, as the cries of the dead now rang through their ears, getting closer and closer.

"Well, I guess that we're in quite the pickle, aren't we, Guts?" Richard asked his comrade. "We got a shit-ton of spirits rushing after us, all determined to take our bodies and force us to fall into our own vices."

"Doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if we have to fight the whole land... We fight to win." Guts growled back with determination in his voice.

"That's damn right. We didn't fight to just lose. We fight to break through all odds, and emerge as the victorious and the survivors." Richard smirked back.

Soon the undead were upon them, as they rushed towards their respective flanks, crushing through the enemies, as their blades ripped the multitude of creatures up.

"Night after night... Aren't you hard working..." Guts grumbled, as he cut through a group of spirits with a wide cleaving slash.

"You want our bodies so badly!? Then pry our souls off them if you dare!" Richard taunted the nearby spirits, who rushed towards him, only to be cut down in a flurry of slashes.

"You killed. You did kill. Aye, you killed plenty." The spirits hissed in a multitude of voices. "You killed... countless. Aye, you killed... plenty. To settle your own grudge. You killed. To achieve what you desire. So long as they're demons... Killing's all right? For your own survival... It is alright to kill?"

"Cut your crap..." Guts snarled back at the spirits.

"None of you dead spirits have any right to question our actions." Richard coldly retorted back. "You are all dead because of various reasons. You refused to pass on, because your vengeance won't allow it. If so, are we not the same, since we kill to live. But the difference is... We are alive, and you are dead. A simple difference in physical state... turns the argument so significantly. We kill to survive, and that is all. No more, no less. And we have no reason to argue with instinct-driven demons like you."

The group continued to cleave through the demons, as the swarm around them began to enclose tighter around them, as more of the vengeful spirits fought with the determined duo, as a group.

"You stink of darkness. You do. The stink of darkness very close to us." The spirits continued. "It lives. It lives inside both of you. You, the Beast, and You, the Demon. Black. Black. Beast of Darkness, Demon of Despair."

Richard immediately froze, when he saw several spirits take the shape of himself, except it looked like a being made of pure darkness, looking wispy and murky, although the twisted expression of sadistic joy on it was evident, as the faces of the various spirits that formed it flowed through its face. And Guts then saw more spirits take the form of a shadowy wolf with long wide eyes, which slowly wrapped around him.

"It thirsts... while it's there. More and more, it thirsts." The wolf spirit told Guts, as its maw opened to reveal hundreds of serrated teeth, before various faced wisps began to shoot themselves into the demonic wolf's maw. "The more blood in which it bathes... the more it does thirst. The beast has an insatiable appetite. As you kill, it thirsts. As it thirsts, you kill. The blood must flow. So keep killing. It will still thirst. Forever. All alone. Always. Alone. Always."

"It is in your nature to bring suffering." The dark copy of Richard spoke, quickly flowing behind the real counterpart, its expression of dark glee unchanging. "Your own desires always take priority of the needs and requests of others. Even your so-called 'righteousness' and 'justice' are nothing but facades for your true nature, for everything is as you desire it. You kill because you desire it. You hurt because you wish for it. You take because you demand it."

Richard snarled, as he turned around, and slashed at his counterpart, causing it to dissipate, before he quickly defended himself from a group of skeletal spirits who tried to ambush him. He quickly dispatched them with a double slash that spread out through his entire front side. As he did however, his copy returned, unscathed.

"Then the beast will consume you. It will take your place. You will come to feel nothing but hatred. You will become a monster in the form of a man." The wolf spirit continued, as it transformed into a copy of Guts's own face, except far more demonic, before it then turned into a floating helmet, the same helmet that Griffith used, with laughing and smiling spirits inside of the eye-holes and the beak-like opening. "Perhaps... you can become a real monster. Maybe you can. Maybe. Maybe. Like you friend. Like him."

"RRAAAGGGH! SHUT UPPPPPP!" Guts roared, as he swung his blade across, cutting through the spirit, as it spread apart. Unlike Richard, Guts never noticed the ambush that was aimed for him, as a tree-like spirit clawed at Guts, tearing through his armour, and the flesh on his arm, as Guts cried out in pain, his grip on his blade wavering. In retaliation, he spins around with his blade, bisecting the tree spirit, while clutching the gashes on his arms, as more spirits surrounded him.

"How are you so different from the others that you slay?" The other Richard asked, as he waved to the other side of Richard's behind. "You wish for your enemies to suffer. You desire things that are not much different to those that these 'villains' seek. Your hands are as bloody, if not far more, than the hands of those you have slain for your own causes. What makes you different? What makes you different... from HER?"

Richard seized up hearing the word, as he began to tremble with anger, as his expression twisted in uncontrollable rage, with his own hands beginning to bleed at how deeply his fingers dug into his own hand around the grip, and his teeth was gnashed so tightly that he felt like they could shatter if even a little more was exerted on them.

"What... What do you say...?" Richard muttered quietly, his voice trembling.

"What makes you different, from the one that you tried to forget, the one you refused to forgive? That Lunarian, Lady Y-" The spirit mocked, before it was then obliterated by a blast of light that was shot at it with extremely strong killing intent, as Richard's hand was raised.

"...You think that I would believe such drivel...?" Richard asked with a frigid tone, before he then slowly raised his eyes, which looked like that they were filled with immeasurable hate in them. "Me... The same as her...? The same as her, the one who was responsible for my nightmares and my current state?"

He then began to laugh, as it devolved into deluded cackling, as he laughed to the skies. "DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH! SUCH A RIDICULOUS STATEMENT..." Richard yelled, before he then rushed towards the main body of the swarm of spirits. "...WILL NOT BE FORGIVEN!"

Richard then began to rip and tear through the enemy spirits, as he let out enraged screams of raw anger, so loud that Guts wondered how Richard's throat hadn't given out already at this point. He began to tear through the spirits with reckless abandon, while throwing his own elemental spells everywhere, as it tore through the forest, burning, freezing, cutting and breaking it apart.

"I WILL NEVER BE LIKE HER! NEVER!" Richard screamed deliriously. "IT WASN'T ME WHO SPITED THE RESIDENTS OF MY HOMELAND BY DEPRIVING THEM OF THEIR HOME, PAINTING THEM AS THE VILLAINS OF THEIR FABRICATED LITTLE TALE! IT WASN'T ME WHO ALLOWED THE SACRED PRINCESS OF THE MOON TO BE RAPED IN SPITE! IT WASN'T ME WHO BETRAYED EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE FOR PERSONAL AMUSEMENT! IT WASN'T ME WHO BROUGHT ENDLESS DESPAIR AND SUFFERING UPON ALL I COME ACROSS! IT WASN'T ME! IT! WAS! NOT! ME! IT! WAS! YOU! YOU! YOU! YOUUUUUUU!"

Richard then raised both of his hands, as copious amount of magical power poured through them, as it created a massive magic circle that slowly raised to the skies, as it began to glow golden. "I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR OPENING THAT WOUND! YOU WILL DIE! UNFORGIVEN! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS! NEVERRRRRRRRRRR!"

Guts then suddenly felt a sense of dread, as he looked around for any cover for whatever cataclysmic attack he was going to rain down. Noticing that there was a small hole that was covered by several tonnes of earth, and just big enough to crawl inside of, he quickly entered the hole, just before the golden magic circle unleashed a massive beam of burning light down, as the spirits were annihilated by the full fury of Richard poured into the attack.

From afar, Reimu turned around, and saw the massive pillar of light, as she felt a sense of concern welling up in her heart.

"Crap... I hope that nothing bad has happened." Reimu remarked, before she then turned away, as she continued to guide the rest of the group, as they were mostly safe.

When Guts finally shook off the blinding light that was created by the attack, he found himself relatively intact, save for the wounds accumulated in fighting against the army of spirits. He crawled out, and saw that there was not a single spirit in sight around the area, and that Richard was on his knees, his head facing up towards the sky, as he seemed to be unresponsive. He slowly approached Richard, as he raised his blade, in case Richard's attack missed any stray spirits.

"Oi. You alright?" Guts asked, placing a hand on Richard's shoulder.

Richard didn't respond back, as his eyes seemed to be glazed over, as the sudden touch caused Richard to topple backwards, his back hitting the ground, as his blades clattered down by his side. Guts was startled by this, as he slowly checked if Richard was fine. He placed his left hand over Richard's mouth, and checked if he was breathing normally. He felt Richard's hot breath touching his hand, as he withdrew, with a relieved expression.

"I guess you really did it. That was one hell of an attack." Guts remarked, before he then slowly slung the unconscious form of Richard over his shoulder. "I guess that out of the both of us, the more reckless one is you in this case."

Guts then slowly trudged through the forest, before he found a small cave. He slowly moved into it, before laying Richard against the cave wall, as the black-haired leader looked like that he was in deep sleep. After Guts ensured that Richard was laid properly to rest, he then slowly sat down next to Richard, as he looked out towards the forest.

"When will I reach him...? How many more dead will I have to push aside? How many more Apostles will I have to cut down? How long will I have to creep in the darkness... until him?" Guts muttered to himself.

He suddenly felt his eyes slowly began to droop, with a wave of severe drowsiness running through his entire body. After the adrenaline of the battle worn off, he felt like that he was unable to resist the urge to fall asleep, although he tried his best. His eyes slowly closed, and the world turned silent around him.

After spending several hours looking through the forest, Puck then managed to find the cave where the both of them are, as he saw the both of them asleep. However, what concerned him the most was Guts's condition, as he looked like that he fell unconscious from all the injuries he had received fighting off the overwhelming swarm of spirits. He gazed towards Richard for a moment, and was relieved when he saw that Richard was soundly resting.

He then got into Guts's peaceful face, before he then began to shout. "Heeyyy! What are you doing!? Wake up or you're dead! Jackass! Put some spirit into this!"

However, Guts didn't respond. Puck then tried to pound his fists against Guts's face, although it did nothing to help wake Guts up. After seeing that his former two plans have failed, he decided to use drastic measures. He immediately pulled out a large sturdy brown globe thistle branch, which was straight enough to act as a club of some sorts. He then aimed at Guts's nose, before he then thrust at it. "Sting!" He cried.

Guts was jolted awake by the pain of the thistle prickling his face, as he shot right up, banging his head against the cave wall behind him, causing him to hiss in pain, clutching the stung nose, and the back of his head. He looked around, before he found Puck floating in front of him. "Be thankful. Now you're awake." Puck told him.

"Why you..." Guts growled, before he then suddenly began to laugh, as he sat back up. "Y'know. I can't keep tense with you around. Taking it seriously just seems silly."

"You're welcome." Puck stated pridefully. "It's thank to me that you keep kicking right now. It's all me."

'_Well, I suppose he would make a good first aid kit, in place of that Elma kid. How many times did I have to let her treat me?_' Guts thought to himself, before he stood up. 'Alright, you win, Puck. That can be your place. Do what you want."

"Hey, did you just say 'Puck'? Huh?" Puck asked, before his expression brightened. "You did, you did! We've been together for so long, and that's the first time you've called me by name! I'm so glad!"

"Heh, maybe you ain't a pest, if you could do so much." Guts relented. "Now, can you deal with Richard? He needs to wake up as well."

"Alright then, do you want me to sting him as well?" Puck asked Guts.

"Might as well. I don't think that he's going to wake up anytime soon if we don't. He just exhausted himself to take out the rest of the spirits." Guts answered back.

"Right. Sting!" Puck exclaimed, as he thrust the thistle right into Richard's face. However, Richard didn't react at all. "Sting! Sting! Sting!"

Puck stabbed Richard's face with the stinging thistle several times, although it achieved nothing at all. "What... He's not reacting?" Puck remarked. "He must be really tired, if the sting won't wake him up."

"Then I think that it's best we leave him be." Guts stated. "We need to look around, and make sure that there's no-one around to threaten him while he's open and vulnerable like this."

As Guts stepped out, he began to patrol the surroundings. However, amidst his search of the area, he was met by a unfriendly encounter. He heard the sound of metallic footsteps marching in his direction, finding himself facing soldiers that were dressed in white and aqua coloured knight armour, with their chest bearing a crest of two silver chains crossed in a X-shape. As the soldiers approached closer, he quickly readied his blade, expecting an attack.

"We finally tracked you down... Black Swordsman!" A female voice declared, as Guts directed his eyes towards the cliff on the side, where he saw that the speaker was a regally dressed lady knight with a golden rapier sheathed by his waist, and violet drapes over her shoulders. She had blonde hair tied into pigtails, and blue eyes. Beside her was a slender man with a green tunic and skirt over his armour, with the steel shoulder-pads in view, with blonde hairs and squinted eyes that made it hard to tell what colour his eyes were. Her other companion was a large and burly man in heavy armour, with real iron chains wrapped around the pieces of his armour, to symbolise the crest his division has. He wielded a large long mace in his arm, and he had large bushy brows and a moustache, as well as brown eyes.

"Enemies!? Guts! We're surrounded!" Puck yelled out.

"You don't say. This isn't good. If they're after me, then they're going to be after Richard as well." Guts grunted. "If they find him... It won't end well if they want us executed or dead."

"We are the Holy Iron Chain Knights, under the direct command of the Holy See! We have made haste under decree of the Miracle Recognition Department to escort your person to the Holy See." The female leader continued, with a confident tone, before raising a finger to point at Guts. "If you throw down your weapon and surrender, well enough! If not, then in the name of God, we shall seize your person!"

"Why? I don't recall doing something to any priests... Or maybe not... much..." Guts responded back, as he fumbled on his latter words.

"Zero persuasive power." Puck dryly commented.

"So you say. But what of your bloodstained appearance? The mound of corpses left in the path you've tread... Is it not their blood?" The leader responded back, as Guts didn't respond back at all. She then drew her dagger, pointing it at Guts. "Enough talk! This is God's will! All hands, seize the Black Swordsman!"

"They're serious. But you're in no shape for this. Your wounds are still fresh. What will you do?" Puck asked Guts, as the knights and soldiers advanced towards him.

"We need to repel them here right now. If we try to get out of here, then Richard will be in danger." Guts remarked. "I ain't one for leaving behind someone like him."

Guts then rushed into the fray, as he fought against the soldiers. He noted how he felt that he was lacking the strength he had when he fought with the spirits before his interrupted rest, due to the wounds he received, as he found it hard to swing his blade, or make sudden movement, as they were both accompanied by jolts of pain running through his body. Even so, he still pushed on through it, and cut down soldier after soldier, who tried to disable him without lethal damage.

"Argh! Miserable!" The leader cried out in outrage. "Why do they falter in the face of one wounded man?"

"Come now, it cannot be helped. The Holy Iron Chain Knights are also known as the 'Pretty Boy Knights'." The slender blonde man beside the leader responded back with a casual tone. "An alleged collection of bonbons into which high nobles who do not wish their heirs taken in conflict enrol them for safety and status. Very few have any real experience in battle. Thus, it is only natural they would falter."

"Thanks for your honoured opinion. So... What exactly is that you're doing here, Serpico?" The burly man questioned the now-named Serpico with a irritated expression.

"Ahhh, come onnn... You knowww..." Serpico dragged on. "I hate the sight of blood. Ergo, I also enlisted."

He then got shouted on by the burly man, who was annoyed at Serpico's response. Meanwhile, Guts was being cornered by the troops, as he blocked the arrows that were aimed at him, although some still managed to lodge themselves into the less-protected parts of his armour, such as his legs. With the injuries getting more severe by the moment, he was slowing down even more, only barely able to react fast enough to block the blows coming towards him from all directions with his large blade.

"Good. Now capture him!" The leader declared.

'_Like hell...!_' Guts defiantly thought, as he forced his body to move faster, as his wounds began to bleed profusely, before he then cut through the enemy soldiers in a series of wide swings, as the blood of the knights spilled around him.

"H-He went through all those armoured men with those swings...! It's as if they were blasted apart by a cannon shot!" One of the men exclaimed.

The lady knight watched as Guts tore through her men, before she then heard the sound of a helmet clicking on, that caused her to turn towards the burly man, who lowered his face-guard.

"Lady Farnese. As Serpico says, simply sending forth large number of troops inexperienced in battle will do naught but increase our causalities." The burly knight told the leader. "I ask you to entrust this task to me, Azan!"

He then cried, leaping off down to where Guts was, as the other knights looked towards him. The cries of 'Vice-Commander!', 'Sir Azan!', and 'Ohh, Sir Azan's intervening!' rang through them. Azan then raised his mace, before he then twirled around so fast, that it looked like a blur.

"Everyone! Get back, get back! Get well back!" Azan boomed, before he then lowered his mace, pointed towards Guts. "I am Vice-Commander Azan of the Holy Iron Chain Knights! Also called Iron Club Azan! Black Swordsman, I challenge you to a proper battle!"

'_Iron Club Azan..._' Guts thought to himself.

"Once again, someone over the top..." Puck remarked silently to himself.

"Iron Club Azan... I've heard that name. You were also called 'Azan the Bridge Knight', weren't you?" Guts asked Azan.

"Hoo... Now that's... an old name." Azan sighed back.

"Guts, do you know him?" Puck asked Guts.

"He's called Azan the Bridge Knight. It happened when I was a kid. There was this eccentric knight who held up nearly a hundred horsemen from crossing a very narrow bridge because of a old wounded guy that was stranded there. I think everyone laughed that it wouldn't be over until he helped the old man to the end of the bridge." Guts explained.

"A knight has a certain just path he must follow!" Azan declared, slowly raising his mace for battle. "I now have cause to serve religion. But in any case, I've given you my name. It's a knight's courtesy for you to do the same!"

"I ain't no knight. Guts. I'm just Guts... pal." Guts replied back with a smirk.

"Well then, Guts... Have at thee!" Azan exclaimed, before he then spun his mace around. "Ready a bone or two for me!"

He then swung his mace down, as Guts reacted quickly to dodge it, as the mace hit the ground and caused it to splinter and break. Azan then swung again and again at Guts, as he smashed through anything in his path, save for his fellow knights, who heeded his earlier warning to back away from the fight. Guts managed to avoid being hit by the mace, although during his fight, he noticed his vision begin to blur and fade out.

'_Oh crap... Vision's hazing... This isn't good at all..._' Guts thought to himself, as he tried to squeeze his eyes to recover as much of his own vision as possible.

"Enough of your dancing!" Azan called out, before he then pulled back his mace. "Summer Showers Thrusts!"

He then rapidly thrust his mace at Guts, who used his blade to block, although the multitude of strikes forced him flying backwards, as well as his arm burning with pain from the force of the attack straining it. He landed back on the ground, on his feet, while Azan twirled his mace around and tapped the pole on the ground, as the knights cheered for their vice-commander.

"A-Awesome! He's beaten back the Black Swordsman! He can do it... You can do it, Vice-Commander Azan! He's almost done for! One more push!" One of the knights cheered.

"Magnificent. I'd like to say, but the fact that you haven't attacked once is a bit disappointing." Azan commented. "Your use of the sword before was straight from the actual battlefield! It conjured up the old days and set my heart a tad astir. I must reinforce my devotion."

'_Not good... It's getting pretty damn dark... Losing feeling in my limbs... What can I do? I can only push myself one more time. It's obvious if I use the last strength to take this guy down, I'll be surrounded and captured. And then Richard will follow soon after. In that case..._' Guts thought, before his eyes looked up to Farnese on the cliff-side. '_I've got to seize the head myself!_'

He then rushed towards Azan, who was surprised at the head-on assault that Guts was mounting. "From head on? Gallantry!" Azan exclaimed, before he thrust his mace at Guts, hoping to knock him out.

However, Guts anticipated the attack, as he leapt onto the head of the mace, before then jumping onto Azan's head and using it as a footstool to boost him towards the cliff where Farnese and Serpico was. Azan was stunned at the display. "What!? Using me as a footstool!?" He blurted out.

The soldiers was shocked as well, as they watched Guts jump through the air, before he then reached onto the cliff, as Farnese looked at Guts with a worried expression.

"Alas... I've erred!" Azan cursed, as the soldiers were in a panic, before they attacked Guts, only to be torn apart, while Guts charged at Farnese, who was now filled with dread, watching the infamous Black Swordsman approach her. Guts slowly walked towards her, as a arrow lodged into his right leg, although it didn't stop him from moving at all.

Farnese slowly drew her blade, as her hands trembled, fearful of facing Guts in battle, while she muttered under her breath. She then thrust at him with her eyes closed in fear. Guts raised his metal arm to grab the blade, and stop the flimsy attack. However, he then felt a massive jolt of pain run through his right leg, causing him to crumple down, as Farnese's blade struck through his shoulder, causing him to lose what remained of his strength.

Farnese then opened her eyes, and seeing Guts fall down before her, she could only let out a surprised 'Eh...?', before Guts's head hit the ground. "Did I... get him?" She muttered to herself.

"Magnificent, Lady Farnese! A-Amazing! The Black Swordsman with one strike!" One of the soldiers cried in joy, rushing up to the scene.

"That's why she's our commander!" Another soldier cried.

"Stand up, you!" A knight growled, lifting Guts up with the help of several other knights, while the other knights checked their own causalities, while some were in horror or rage at what they saw, with one even puking his own contents out seeing the bloody scene around him.

"Ohhhh, I'll kill that son of a bitch!" One of the soldiers cried, who was restrained by his comrades, although they couldn't stop him from slugging Guts on the jaw with a hook. "You killed Cain!"

"Stop, stupid! The orders are to capture him!" His friend tried to convince him.

"I'll kill you here and now!" Another knight threatened, raising his blade at Guts, as Guts looked at the blade silently. However, the knight was restrained by Azan, using his mace.

"That's enough... foolishness!" Azan roared. "You would gang up against a man who no longer resists!? That is a shameful thing for a knight to do!"

"But, Sir Azan...!" A soldier argued back. "He... Our men... Our friends...!"

"I thought I told you some time ago that he who wears the sword must always be prepared to fall by the sword!" Azan declared with a bold tone. "This man answered sword for sword! In this regard, he is not at fault! To cast shame upon him casts shame upon our battle just now..! Not only that, it is also an insult to the deaths of your friends who crossed swords with him! Would you all mock the valour of the knights!?"

The soldiers were silent, before they all bore remorseful expressions. "Unnh... I'm so sorry, Vice-Commander..." One of the soldiers wailed back.

"We were mistaken... Forgive us...!"

"Hm... I scolded somewhat heavily for one who cast his own knighthood aside. It's not unreasonable for one to get swept up in his first battle. Your pardon." Azan responded back, with a more calm tone.

'_What's with this bunch of goody-goodies..._' Guts thought abrasively. '_The way they are acting... It just makes me sick._'

"Lady Farnese... Our withdrawal orders." Azan told Farnese, who was looking at her bloody blade. When he noticed that she was silent and unresponsive, he walked towards her, and placed his large hand on her shoulder. "Is this the first time you have drawn blood? Nothing is more terrifying than taking up the sword. But as a leader of men, you must forever harbour its significance within your heart."

Farnese turned to face Azan, who merely nodded back, before she then turned back to the soldiers. "Right! All hands, with-"

Her command was cut short, when there was a cry of rage that echoed through the forest. She suddenly felt a sense of uneasiness, as she stopped talking immediately. Hearing the cry ring out for a while, the soldiers were all tense. Azan quickly raised his mace, while the soldiers hesitantly drew their swords. Even Serpico, who wasn't interested in fighting, drew his own weapon, a rapier.

"...Richard...?" Puck muttered, recognising the voice.

And Puck's guess were confirmed, when the blurring figure of Richard rushed towards the soldiers, as several soldiers in the vanguard of the battalion was sliced apart in almost an instant, before Richard then stopped right into view of everyone present, as he looked furious. He slowly raised his eyes towards where Guts was.

"What the...!? Who is this guy...!?" One of the soldiers exclaimed.

"Wait, isn't that the... Twin-Bladed Reaper, that was always seen accompanying the Black Swordsman." Another one remarked.

"Then that would mean..." Farnese stated, before she then turned to Guts, who was smirking. "...No..."

Richard then snarled, before he then rushed up the cliff-side, as he ran towards where Guts was. Many soldiers tried to stop him, although they did nothing to stop his charge, as he cut through them without any ease.

"Stop right there!" Azan declared. "You will not proceed any further-"

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!" Richard swore at Azan, before he then did a cross-slash, as Azan was forced to use his mace to block the attack. However, the mace was cut apart into small metal pieces, shocking Azan, who was forced to dodge out of Richard's way, to avoid being sliced by his attacks.

"What is this...? He managed to... cut through the mace...?" Azan remarked.

Richard continued to charge at Farnese and Guts, before Serpico moved between them. "My my, you are quite the warrior, to have cut your way through here." He remarked.

Richard halted his charge, before he then readied both of his blades. "I suppose that you are no mood to talk? As much as I hate fighting... I rather not let you endanger the safety of Lady Farnese." Serpico stated, before he then darted towards Richard.

The two of them clashed with each other, both of them bobbing and weaving through each other's blows, unable to land a close hit on each other. The knights were in awe from the speed and skill they were trading blows at, as Serpico's rapier darted from one point to another so quickly, while Richard's swings were fast and strong.

'_What is this...?_' Serpico thought to himself. '_He's not even slowing down at all... Has he fought in drawn-out battles before?_'

Serpico then noticed Richard's blade rushing towards him, as he quickly parried it with his rapier, only to leave himself open for his other blade. Serpico retreated back, as he steadied himself just in time to meet Richard's attack head-on.

"Twin blades... With such skill..." Serpico muttered to himself. "This is truly troublesome..."

Richard then twirled his blades around, before he then swung at Serpico with a rapid series of slashes, causing Serpico to bounce on his feet, parrying and dodging at a fast pace. However, when he accidentally did a poor parry on one of his slashes, he found Richard's blade digging into his shoulder, causing him to flinch. Before he could react, he was kicked in the chest by Richard, sending him sprawling back towards a tree.

"Serpico!" Farnese exclaimed, worried about the safety of her comrade. She then turned to face Richard, who was, much to her horror, was up in her face.

Richard then grabbed Farnese by the collar of his armour with one hand, before he then fired a ice spell right at Azan's legs, immobilising the burly warrior. Farnese tried to react to Richard, by reaching for her dagger, only to be spun around suddenly, unbalancing her, before she found herself being held by Richard, with his blade's edge touching her neck. Serpico and Azan then noticed that several sukimas appeared in front of them, as they sprouted sharp blades, causing them to reel back to avoid being pierced by them. The members of the Holy Iron Chain Knights were in utter disbelief, seeing the magic that Richard was sporting right now.

"What is the meaning of...!?" Farnese was about to exclaim, before Richard's blade tapped her adam's apple, silencing her.

"Back away from him." Richard growled. "Or the lives of your officers and leader are forfeit."

The soldiers didn't dare move, before Richard then spoke again.

"You will listen to me very carefully. Make a single step, or twitch a single finger, when I do not command it... And they will undeniably die." Richard stated. "And then I will move onto all of you. If harm befalls my friend... Every single drop of your blood will stain the forest floor. That is a promise."

Farnese then looked back at Richard, whose eyes were filled with cold hate, as she regretted it, when those eyes fell onto her.

"Lady Farnese, is it?" Richard told her softly. "Tell your men to release Guts. Release him slowly, as I watch them do so."

"Why would I do that!? He must be seized this immediately!" Farnese argued.

"Because you are not the one with power here." Richard answered back. "I need only merely think of it, for both of your companions to die with many blades through their heads. Surely you would not value the life of my friend, more than these two companions of yours, who fought to protect you? Do you?"

"Taking a woman hostage..! Despicable-" Azan retorted, before Richard's eyes flicked towards him, as the sukima over him hovered closer, as the tip of the blade tapped Azan's scalp.

"You forget that your life is on the stake here, Azan." Richard remarked. "Guts speaks quite fondly of you, and I have respect for your past deeds. However, none of that matters right now. All that matters, is that you have my friend in captivity, while he is so close to death. I will not let him die or be captured to be sent to execution merely for the sake of appeasement. If you wish to resolve this conflict... Release my friend, and I will spare what remains of your order."

Azan didn't respond back, as Richard then turned back to Farnese. "Didn't I tell you what to do? Tell those men holding him, to unhand him. NOW." He firmly repeated his order.

Farnese looked at the men holding Guts up, as she was conflicted on whether to obey Richard or not, due to her duty conflicting with her thoughts on the situation. Eventually, she relented, as she nodded slowly. "Release him." She ordered.

The men let go of Guts, who fell to the ground, as he was still too weak to get up on his own. Richard then slowly inched towards him, still holding Farnese in his arms and under his blade.

"Good. Then since you have not tried to fool me, I will release you." Richard stated to Farnese, before he then turned her towards a group of soldiers nearby. "You all there. Catch your leader."

Richard then hurls Farnese at them, as they catch their leader, and help her stand back up. She then turns around, and faces Richard with her blade out, while the rest of the army prepared to attack with both blade or bow.

"This is how you respond to my mercy?" Richard asked back, before he then pulled both of his blades out. "Truly, you are ungrateful."

"Silence! We will capture the Black Swordsman and you as well! Both of you are guilty!" Farnese declared.

"How funny, you speak all that, while your friends are still in captivity." Richard answered back, referring to the still-trapped Serpico and Azan. "You forget that they are still under threat of death. Before your attacks can reach me, the blades will kill them faster than it will come. So you would do well not to aggravate this conflict further."

Farnese growled, as Richard then lowered his blades. "But it seems that this can only end in a stalemate, or in a loss for both sides." Richard stated with a solemn tone. "So I will not make this situation complicated. I have an offer, one that will benefit us both."

"What do you mean...?" Farnese asked back, as she was surprised when Richard looked far less hostile than before.

"I am well aware of the fact that should I choose to fight, then my friend's life will be in danger, considering his wounds." Richard remarked. "I cannot wholeheartedly do such a thing to let him die because of my own actions. However, it seems that you are truly determined in our capture, and so everything I can try, save for your annihilation, would be a pointless act. So I am left with one choice that can ensure his survival."

"And what is that?" Azan asked. "Surely you do not intend to-"

"I will surrender myself and Guts." Richard stated. "Only through this method, will his life be safe."

This surprised everyone, especially Azan, who didn't expect this response from Richard, who fought so furiously before.

"What...!?" Guts exclaimed. "Richard... you can't!"

"Guts, please... rest." Richard remarked, before he then raised a earthen slab, and slammed it into the back of Guts's head, knocking him out.

Serpico watched Richard take control of the situation so calmly, as opposed to before, with a intrigued expression. '_He seems like that he's more than just a warrior._' He thought to himself. '_He knows that this kind of fight would only end up detrimental for him._'

"Very well. Then we shall seize you-" Farnese stated.

"I have not finished. This surrender... falls under two conditions." Richard answered back. "And I assure you, both of these conditions are within reasonable bounds, unless you are extremely restrictive of your captives."

"State them." Farnese answered back, as she patiently waited for Richard's demands.

"The first condition is that you treat Guts to the fullest extent possible with your resources." Richard answered back. "His well-being takes priority over my own. Do you possess medical supplies to treat the countless wounds that he had suffered through these days?"

"...We do. We don't intend to let him die during our return." Farnese nodded.

"Fine. The second condition is that when you require interrogation, do not bother to interrogate Guts." Richard continued. "He will not answer you, for he have no love lost for any of you, who are religious, which only irritates and disgusts him. And with the wounds, you are well aware that he cannot handle torture. In his place, I will answer. In exchange for ensuring that you will not drag him into questioning, I will give you whatever answers you seek, if they are within reasonable bounds as well. If you believe that I lie, then torture me if you wish. At least my body can bear it."

"...It seems that you care for him greatly. Very well. You have my word as the commander, that your other condition will be fulfilled." Farnese complied.

"Then... I have no reason to resist." Richard answered back, as the sukimas around Serpico and Azan disappeared, as well as the ice restraining Azan. He then walked towards Farnese, with his hands together. "You may tie my hands together. Although I could break our of them with ease, under the constant surveillance of your men, I will be unable to commit anything without being interrupted."

Farnese looked at Richard with raised eyebrows, as she felt a little suspicious at how easily Richard was accepting his capture, before she then called out to several soldiers, as they produced a long piece of ropes, as they tied his hands together tightly, finishing off with a secure knot, before the other end of the rope was handed to one of the soldiers.

"Lady Farnese... Do you think that we can trust this man? He seems to be clever with his words and actions." Azan remarked.

"I wouldn't worry about it." Serpico answered back. "After all, he doesn't seem like that he has any plans of going back on his agreement."

"Azan, take the Black Swordsman and carry him." Farnese ordered, as Azan did so. "All hands, withdraw."

The entire troop made their way out of the forest, while Richard merely sighed.

'_Sorry, Guts... But we're going to need to stay around Farnese to keep her safe. She's going to be a huge help later on..._' Richard thought to himself.

* * *

_In the Holy Iron Chain Knight's main camp..._

Guts could only watch Richard be dragged through the base, as his arms were now tied with metal manacles, and he was stripped of everything except his own pants, exposing his Brand scar for the others to see, as the other knights were attracted to it, while others glared at Guts, who slaughter far more of their men than Richard did, when he came to his rescue.

Thinking of Richard, Guts seethed, as he couldn't forgive Richard for letting them both be captured like that. He swore that he was going to demand from him what was he was thinking, trying something foolish as this. Thankfully, with the help of the camp's medical supplies, and Puck's unseen help in healing, he managed to recover well, although it did nothing to help the turmoil in his heart.

As Richard was dragged towards the commander's tent, the leading knight cried out. "We have brought the Twin-Bladed Reaper!" He declared, before he heard Farnese respond with 'Enter!'.

The soldier saluted and cried out an 'Aye!',before they all entered with the captive Richard. The commander's tent had several pieces of furniture in it, including a stand for Farnese's armour, chairs, a trunk for storage, and a large draped table, that had Gut's metallic arm, and their various weapons laid onto it, with a large idol statue of a rising eagle, with twin streams entwined around its length like coiled snakes.

"Well done." Farnese stated, as she was dressed in her informal clothing, consisting of a small coat, with a white sash and short white pants. "Once you've fastened him to the post, you are all dismissed."

"Yes, but then..." The leading knight tried to argue.

"I care not! With his hands bound, and his body restrained by chains, what could he do?" Farnese responded back.

"Then I will report to the Vice-Commander-" The leading knight compromised, before he was interrupted by a annoyed Farnese.

"Unnecessary! Furthermore, until I order otherwise. The guards are to move away from this tent!" Farnese shouted back.

"Yes, but Lady Farnese, you have seen what he is capable of. If the chance of him using the same sorcery from before, should happen, I really should tell the Vice-" The leading knight continued.

"What is your name and affiliation!?" Farnese demanded, already annoyed with the knight. "Are you saying you can't execute my orders without seeking instruction from the Vice-Commander every single time!? Who is the Supreme Commander of the Holy Iron Chain Knights!? Tell me!"

"Aye!" The leading knight cried, before he then bowed deeply. "It is Commander Farnese. I beg your forgiveness for my blatant indiscretion."

"Very well, dismissed." Farnese told him, having calmed down.

"Aye!" The leading knight shouted again, as the other knights already finished fastening Richard to the wooden tent pole with metal chains, with his hands bound around the pole. They then left the tent, passing through the front flaps.

Farnese then looked back at Richard, who was simply calm. "You seem to wish that what we speak about remains unheard by others." Richard stated. "What is your purpose in doing so?"

Farnese merely grabbed a long whip from the table, as it had tens of strands on it, each with spiked metal bits on the ends. "Twin-Bladed Reaper... No, 'Richard', the Black Swordsman called you." Farnese said, as she straightened the whip out. "Before I deliver both your persons to the Holy See for judgement... It is my duty as one who takes the lowest place in its high court to ask you two or three questions."

"Then ask your questions. There is no need for torture." Richard answered back. "I have promised give you truthful answers to your questions."

"Then tell me! First your origin, the motives for your actions, and your purpose!" Farnese demanded.

"My origins? My origins is from a faraway land." Richard answered back. "One that does not lie within this continent. I have came to this land merely by chance." Richard answered back. "And then, there lies the motives of my actions, which I assume is the 'slaughters' we have committed. In truth, as I have told you, there are several motives for our actions, both which are sinful and which are pure."

"Then speak them! What excuse do you both have, for the death of countless innocents!" Farnese demanded.

"I see that you are focused on that atrocity the most out of all of our acts..." Richard frowned. "Very well, our motives is to banish evil, bring justice to the living, exact vengeance, and the most demonic of them all, to feel pleasure in putting sinners... no, demons in their rightful places, as they are rewarded evil for evil."

"Banish evil...!? Justice to the living!?" Farnese growled, as she shook her whip, cracking it threateningly. "You call those bloodbaths justice!?"

"You assume that all of the dead are innocent, or done by our hands." Richard answered back. "I tell no lies. It is merely that you are well unaware of the dark horrors that we have encountered and faced. The cruelest and most ruthless of demons. The 'Apostles'. A mockery of the real title-holders, they spread death,destruction and despair wherever they go. They taint this land with darkness that permeates the human soul. And so, to answer your third question, our purpose is to exist. To exist to punish these wicked beings for their heartless deeds with a karmic death, and free those in their captivity from their pre-destined suffering."

Farnese was silent, as she found herself unable to believe what Richard was saying, before she then gathered herself to ask more.

"No person would leave behind such a trail of corpses, even if they are slaying demons." Farnese responded back with a distrusting tone. "But if that is your answer, then I will make note of it. Then tell me, what is this mountain of weaponry? This slab of iron for which the term 'Sword' would be inappropriate? It is a bit ostentatious for a mere mercenary. All of this seems to have been used extensively. What have you done with all of this? What are you trying to do!? Do you mean to take on an entire army!?"

"...Indeed. This kind of gear... is tailored specifically to fight against armies." Richard responded back. "And like I have told you before, it is used to slay demons. In fact, armies of demons, and the 'Apostles' who drive and lead them. Every single weapon here has been tainted by the blood of countless spirits and demons. They can harm what is ethereal because of this, including the twin blades that are my very weapons."

"Enough of this demon nonsense! You will tell me-" Farnese exclaimed, already at the limit of her patience.

"Tell me, Farnese of the Holy Iron Chain Knights. Do you believe in God? Do you believe in demons?" Richard asked.

"What are you getting at! Of course I believe that both exist!" Farnese impatiently answered back.

"Then... I ask you this... Have you met a God before, whether through dream or your own eyes?" Richard asked again.

"God does not display his miracles on this earth lightly. He dwells always within our faith. In our hearts, as well as in heaven." Farnese responded back, placing a hand over her breast in a faithful gesture.

"Then... you are truly loyal and faithful to your god then. That is a respectable quality, for I have seen few who do not share this quality with cults and demons." Richard smiled back. "In truth, Farnese, I believe in your God as well, for I have learnt of His existence."

"What...?" Farnese asked, surprised that Richard had faith in the same God she was devoted to.

"It may sound strange, but I am quite the polytheistic." Richard answered back with a casual tone. "Before you accuse me of heresy though, I would like to tell you that your God's law does not state that your faith should only be directed at Him alone. As long as you show faith to Him, he will not condemn you for praying to other Gods, so long these Gods do not stand against Him, in any way possible. Those who are in breach of this include cults and certain Gods. I however, am faithful to these 'clean' Gods."

"...Impossible... How could someone like you... a mercenary.. have piety, especially to the God?" Farnese asked, already in disbelief.

"Because He is a god worthy of respect, so I devote faith to him, in exchange for miracles and blessings. Both He and I are in good terms with each other. I know of His intent, and he forgives me for the sins I have committed over and over again, for he sees the light that reaches deep within, the light of faith and virtue. After all, have I not shown the virtue of honour, when I have accepted my surrender, and honoured my word flawlessly? Would you say that I spit upon God with this act?"

Farnese didn't know how to answer, as she stared at Richard, who seemed so peaceful and gentle, that she didn't know whether to be in awe of his just words, or continue her hate of him, for the crimes that she has witnessed the aftermath of.

"And that is why... I must ask you a question in return..." Richard solemnly answered back. "Farnese... Do you know what He desires of you?"

"I..." Farnese muttered, as she searched herself for an answer. "What God desires of me... He desires me to punish the heretics. That is my purpose."

"That may be so..." Richard sighed. "But then... why did I see it in your eyes? That you are not being truthful to yourself?"

Farnese immediately stiffened up, as she glared at Richard.

"What I can see in your eyes, is something that must never been seen in the eyes of a faithful woman like yourself." Richard answered back. "I see doubt and deceit in your eyes, as you spoke those words. And yet, when you spoke them, your eyes didn't betray that your answer was wrong. It was merely... incomplete, that there is a much more deeper meaning to those words, a hidden message within them. And the message I could tell is... that you hide several emotions that you wouldn't dare to show to anyone else."

Farnese snapped, as she growled, raising her whip, before she struck Richard through the chest with it, as the spiked ends raked through the soft flesh. She then swung at Richard's face, as it caused his head to jolt to the side, with wounds on his cheeks and between his eyes.

"How dare you...!" Farnese exclaimed with rage, before she then walked up, and pressed the whip to Richard's face strongly. "You would state that I am not faithful to my God? I am the Commander of this holy order of knights! It is my duty to keep to his faith! I will not be questioned by a murderer like you! You are a liar, if you believe that God favours you, when you would dare to state that I am unfaithful to myself!"

"I have killed people, Farnese." Richard answered back calmly, ignoring the wounds on him. "I have killed innocents, but I did not wish to do so, and every death of these untainted souls weighs a great burden on me. By my own code, I swore that I would save people, not kill them. But you must know that there are some people who are unable to be saved. Whether they are incapable of receiving salvation, because their minds and bodies have been tainted with sin too far to return them back to their former selves, or that they stand defiant to the God as fallen beings, spiting God with their very act, until their very death."

"But you... When you whipped me..." Richard continued, as he turned his head towards Farnese. "I saw it in your eyes... The undeniable glint of pleasure in them. It is as if you revel in my suffering. Why so? Is it not by God's word that you are not to take pleasure in your punishment of others? It seems that you are a conflicted one, Farnese... I do not know whether you misunderstand God's words, or you have turned your back on Him, because there is a sin that you dare not confess, not even to the all-forgiving God. It is not wrong to confess even the deepest of your sins. I have confessed them before Him, and He blessed with enlightenment, and a duty to slay the evil, and protect the innocence. So please, Farnese... It is not too late to change yourself, before that which you have chained in your heart, those dark desires... Before they fester into your mind's poison, eroding your faith in Him."

Farnese then suddenly screamed, as she grabbed the sides of her head, as her eyes were filled with hysteria. She then turned around, as she beat Richard with the whip over and over again, as she screamed each time.

"DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU TO HELL! DAMN YOU!" Farnese screamed with fury.

After Farnese was too exhausted to draw her whip again, she stopped, panting heavily, as she stared at the marred figure of Richard, whose entire body was covered with gashes. Richard's expression didn't change, as if he was not disturbed by the pain. As she watched the blood drip from her whip and the wounds, her eyes began to fill with barely-hidden arousal, although her furious expression didn't change.

"...Whip me all you wish." Richard responded back quietly. "But by striking me... You only drag yourself deeper in your desires... For the sake of Him, you must change your ways... Before the Devil whispers in your ears, and takes your mind and soul, leaving you a woman hollow of faith and justice."

Farnese was about to raise her whip again, before she then jolted to a stop when she heard Azan's voice.

"Lady Farnese! Our pardon! What is going...!?" Azan asked, as he peeked through the tent, finding the bleeding Richard, and Farnese who was responsible for it. "Lady Farnese... What on earth...!?"

"What's the trouble? I'm simply inquiring of two or three things prior to delivering him to the Holy See!" Farnese responded back, as several other knights came in as well.

"But like this...!?" Azan exclaimed, looking at Richard's brutalised figure.

"Do not worry about my well-being, Azan." Richard told Azan. "She merely found herself unable to accept the truth of my words. In her fury, she whipped me. But I do not blame her. I have told her vile things that she could not forgive."

"Enough! Return him to his cell! You are all dismissed!" Farnese ordered.

"Lady Farnese...!" Azan exclaimed.

"Did you not hear me! I said you're dismissed!" Farnese yelled back.

"...As you wish." Azan responded back with a pause, before turning to the knights. "Unchain him first."

"Take him away! Dress his wounds and cage him! Do nor remove his manacles!" Farnese ordered, as the knights unchained Richard.

As Richard was escorted out of the tent, he noticed that Serpico was by the front of the tent, as he turned his head towards the blonde-haired eavesdropper.

"...How much did you hear?" Richard asked Serpico.

"A fair bit." Serpico responded back. "Please don't antagonise the commander. However she may seem, she can be quite charming."

"I can sympathise with that." Richard stated, before he then turned to his knights. "Please hold. I would like to speak with your comrade briefly."

The knights complied, although they kept a close eye on Richard.

"Before you speak more about all of this, I will first make the initiative." Richard told Serpico. "I apologise for being responsible for inciting her fury. But I only wished to help her break free of her own insecurities. I may be ruthless and merciless in battle, but I treat people like her with gentle respect and manners."

"Heh, you're worrying about her, when you're going to the Holy See with your friend." Serpico replied back. "By the way, I'd be interested to see what your faith to God will do when you are tried."

"...I doubt it would be much. After all, my hands are stained. I will not deny that." Richard answered back, before he turned back to the knights. "I have said my piece. You can return me to the cell now."

Serpico watched as Richard was dragged away, as he then looked back in the tent, as Farnese was frantically praying in front of the idol statue, hands clasped and tears flowing from her eyes.

As promised, he was taken to the medical tent, where he was bandaged and treated without a single word exchanged between anyone. When he reached the cage holding him and Guts, the knights opened the cage door, before shoving Richard in, as he stumbled a bit, as Guts turned to him, before he noticed the bandaged wounds on Richard's body. He was about to ask Richard, before Richard pressed a finger to his mouth quickly.

"Not now. We'll talk when the others are gone." Richard told Guts, as he kept an eye on Azan and the other knights. When they left his view, and there was no other knights in ear-shot to hear them, he released his finger. "Alright, now I can tell you that, you're quite lucky that you're not the one put up with the questions. In all honesty, you might want to be careful around her... She's secretly sadistic. Her over-doing the whipping, as you may see, is proof of that. Luckily, it will heal up quickly, and the pain is already gone."

Suddenly, Guts gripped Richard by the bandages, pushing Richard closer towards him, as he shoved his snarling face in Richard's. "What the hell are you doing!?" Guts exclaimed. "You could have tried to escape-"

"...Without you?" Richard asked calmly. "Guts, you know that I'm aware of the situation then. I wouldn't be wrong on this kind of thing usually. If another fight breaks out, you're going to become a casualty in the fight. And no amount of adrenaline and sheer willpower will save you then, because your body is already past its limits, which you already pushed past several times, during the fight, I assume."

"You didn't have to-" Guts shouted.

"I won't let you die, Guts. I swore that I would help you finish this. I have condemned enough people back at the Eclipse. You will not be another one of my regrets!" Richard responded back. "Don't act like it's the end of us! Have you forgotten that there is something that they will have to deal with, thanks to us both being here. And not only that, you're in better state to fight and move right now, thanks to them upholding their side of the deal."

"What do you mean-" Guts shouted, before he then realised something, as he remembered that they were still being pursued by spirits and demons across the lands. If the Holy See had them, then they would have to deal with the demons that are after them as well, and that would make a good distraction for the two of them to escape, if the chance arises. "...Richard, you are scarily prepared."

"I kept my word, but I never said I wouldn't use magic." Richard responded back. "When night falls, and the time is right, I'll free us both, and we'll make a run for it. And I'll make sure we get all our stuff before we get out of here."

"Waiting in the cold night like this... That bitch really doesn't care about us." Guts cursed.

* * *

_At late night..._

Guts and Richard took turns resting themselves, as it was Guts's turn to rest himself, while Richard kept an eye out. It was when he looked around, and heard the sound of spirits moaning, that he looked towards the source, and noticed that the spirits already found them.

"Guts... Wake up... The time is here." Richard whispered to Guts, jostling him awake, as the spiky-haired swordsman woke up quickly.

"Mm... So it's time already." Guts muttered, as he saw the spirits.

"Let me deal with my manacles first." Richard stated, as he flexed his fingers, and created a large earthen pedestal in front of him, resting his hands on it, before a sukima produced a sharp axe that swung down, cutting the manacles apart. "There, that should deal with that. Now, for the cage itself-"

"Here I am, 'zupa'!. Problem solved, 'zupa'!" They heard Puck's voice, before he then somersaulted down in front of them, holding the key-ring in his hands, before then posing gracefully. "Swift Hero, Zupuuuuck!"

Guts looked unamused, while Richard stifled a few amused chuckles at Puck's showboating. Puck then floated up to them. "I've come to rescue both of you, Guts and Richard. Here, escape with these keys."

"Good, let me out." Guts responded back, as he reached for the keys, only for Puck to pull them out of his reach.

"What about 'thank you'?" Puck asked.

"What, for every little thing?" Guts grumbled.

"Even good friends show courtesy!" Puck argued.

"Look, don't think that just because you settled in a guy's bag, you can-" Guts was about to retort back, before Richard smacked him on the back of his head. "What!?"

"Don't be a jerk, Guts. Puck is helping us out. He's not only good for healing, you know. He did help you get awake last time." Richard told Guts.

"Aargh... Fine. Thank you, Puck." Guts responded back, gritting his teeth lightly.

"Thanks, Puck. This way, I won't risk luring the spirits to us by flaring my magic temporarily to escape." Richard thanked Puck.

"Aw shucks, you both are grateful! Alright then!" Puck stated, as he saw both of them gesture to push the key in, then twist. Following these instructions, he opened the cage door, as both of them sprawled out.

"I know where the tent with our weapons are, so I can bring them to us quickly." Richard answered back, before he then opened a sukima, which deposited their armour, weapons and other gear. "Hurry up, we need to get ourselves dressed before the spirits wake the entire camp with their moaning!"

The two warriors quickly reequipped themselves, as Guts twisted his metal arm over his stump, and Richard sheathed both of his blades on the back of his clothing.

"Right, now then, we can get out of here." Richard stated.

"Not yet. I got some pay-back for that bitch." Guts growled, as she made his way towards Farnese's tent.

"Guts, NO." Richard stated, as he tried to drag Guts back. "Now's not the time to be wasting it on petty grudges. We don't need to kick up more trouble with us. You've barely healed this entire day. If you kick up trouble again, I'm not going to take responsibility for your actions."

"Shut up and come with me. If by the chance they're already up, if we have their commander in our hold, then they'll be forced to keep away from us." Guts stated. "Surely, that's better than getting chased by them, right?"

"...Fair point. But you better not do anything stupid. We aren't trying to piss them off. We just need to send a message for them to back off from us." Richard sighed.

The two of them headed towards Farnese's tent, as they snuck by silently. When they reached the front of the tent, they could hear the faint sound of whipping, as it caused Guts and Richard to hesitate for a moment. Richard quickly crouched and pushed through the flaps, as he caught sight of Farnese whipping himself with a leather whipe, before Guts and Puck came in to see.

"Eh? She's whipping herself?" Puck muttered quietly to Guts.

Richard saw the various swelling marks on her back, as he could see her eyes were leaking tears, and she was sweating as well. After she finished whipping herself, she then clasped her hands in prayer, and bowed her head. "Dear God... Please Guide me..." She muttered under her breath.

Richard slowly approached Farnese, before he then slammed a open hand-chop on the side of her neck, as she crumpled into unconsciousness. Guts quickly went to work, as he carried her over his shoulder, but not before bounding her wrists together with rope, and gagging her with fabric.

"Alright, now that it's done, it's time we get out-" Richard was about to say, before the tent flaps were pushed up by a distressed knight.

"Lady Farnese, trouble! The Black Swordsman and his accomplice is-" The knight hastily reported, before he saw Richard, Guts and the unconscious Farnese. "Y-You're-"

Guts stepped forward, before he then socked the knight with a fist to the face, knocking him backwards. Richard growled, turning to Guts, while the alarm horn was blowing outside.

"Great. Now we're forced to take her." Richard growled at Guts.

Guts grabbed a torch, before using the nearby candle-stand to set it alight. He then torched the fabric of the tent with it, before they got out of it. They came face to face with a large group of knights, including Azan and Serpico.

"Lady Farnese...! How did you...!?" Azan exclaimed.

"Azan... I must regrettably tell you that we cannot stay within your captivity any longer." Richard told them with a remorseful tone.

"You think you can escape in your friend's condition?" Azan questioned back. "You kept your word before... Why are you escaping now?"

"...It's for the good of both of us. That is all I can say." Richard answered back. "So please, move aside... before it's too late."

"I refuse!" Azan declared. "I cannot allow either of you to escape!"

"We'll see." Guts smirked back, before he then raised the torch close to Farnese's legs and bottom. "Just watch! I'll light her ass on fire! Who says only clergy can burn someone alive?"

"Taking a woman hostage... Despicable...!" Azan spat out, as he was sweating, conflicted on whether to allow them to escape. "We've no choice! Everyone stand back!"

"Much obliged." Guts responded back, as he and Richard passed through the open ranks of the knights.

He then boarded one of the horses, as Richard rode onto another one of them. He then turned to the knights.

"...I'm sorry for this, Azan. But I must do this." Richard told Azan, before he then raised his hand.

Serpico reacted immediately, as he dodged away from the other knights, just in time for a series of earthen pillars to rise and barricade all of the present knights in, causing them to be unable to move at all. After Richard imprisoned almost all of the knights, both he and Guts rushed out of the camp. As soon sa they did, Serpico rushed towards one of the horses, as he mounted onto them, before readying his hand-held crossbow.

Richard noticed Serpico pursuing after him, as he then found a large boulder above, before using earth magic to tip the boulder over behind them, blocking the path. Serpico noticed the obstruction crashing down just as the fleeing duo passed it, as he then turned around his horse, and went for a detour around.

While they strode along, Farnese slowly returned to consciousness, as her first sight was Gut's mocking face.

"Yo. Shoe's on the other foot now." Guts remarked, before Farnese then struggled around, trying to wriggle free of Gut's hold on her. "Don't struggle! If you fall on these rocks with your hands and feet bound, you're dead."

"Don't worry, we're not going to eat you or nothing." Puck tried to assure Farnese.

"Kh... Let me off, you bastard! If you think you'll get away with treating me, the leader of the Holy Iron Chain Knights like this...!" Farnese yelled.

"Don't bother. He won't care, Farnese." Richard told Farnese, who turned to him. "I'm sorry for capturing you, but we have our reasons keeping you."

"I'd rather fall off and die than be subject to your will! Let me off!" Farnese screamed back at Richard.

"Damnit..." Guts growled, before he then grabbed Farnese and flipped her over, with her head dangerously close to the ground, as she screamed in fear, frozen stiff with the emotion. After letting her scream for a while, he then dragged her back up. "Now you better calm down some..."

"Oh, and Puck... I don't think she can see you." Richard told Puck, just as he was trying to get close to Farnese. "She didn't react then, and she wouldn't react now."

"Stop making a fool out of me!" Farnese shouted.

Suddenly, Guts and Richard felt their brands act up with some pain, notifying them they were being chased by accursed spirits.

"Looks like they already upon us, Guts." Richard stated, before he then pulled out Divine Judge.

"I know." Guts responded back, pulling out his blade. "Here they come."

Farnese looked back, expecting her men, but was harshly shocked when she saw the accursed spirits come into her view, watching them go with confusion in her eyes. Richard and Guts then swung their weapons to fend off the spirits, with Richard holding the reins of his horse with one hand, and swinging with the other.

Farnese looked around, as she wasn't able to get a clear look at the things that Richard and Guts were cutting down. However, when she looked right into a group of spirits, one of them gave off a eerie grin, before placing its ethereal hands on Farnese's cheeks, causing her to freeze with fear in her eyes, as her breathing began to turn quicker and sharper from the building fear in her.

However, Guts cut down the spirit quickly, as Farnese then saw his blade, coated with the ectoplasm of the destroyed spirit. "Keep your eyes open. Watch. You won't see this, praying to idols." Guts stated. "God's putting on a show for us. A miracle on Earth."

Farnese looked at Guts silently, before She turned to Richard, who banished several spirits with a burst of light from his hand. He noticed her looking at him, as he spoke to her.

"Now you see the demons that I face within the night." Richard responded back. "These spirits... They have not taken possession of flesh, but they are still dangerous nonetheless. In fact, it's because they possess flesh, that you see those corpses in our warpath."

As Guts swung, he noticed that his horse was beginning to panic, as the force of his blade was weighing down on it, straining it, as it was beginning to sway. Guts noticed, as he focused on holding the reins to steady the horse. However, his efforts went to waste, as Farnese struggled again, causing the horse to lose control, as it neighed frantically. The horse then tripped off the side of the stony path, as Guts jumped down, and caught the falling Farnese, while the horse tumbled down, landing on its side, looking injured from the fall. Richard noticed the fall, as he slowly guided his horse down, while still cutting down the spirits around him.

"Wh-Why?" Farnese asked Guts with a confused expression.

"I got questions for you. Can't have you busting your head on a rock." Guts responded back.

"Questions?" Farnese asked back.

"You're going to tell me why you people follow us around." Guts answered back. "I'm tired of having to deal with people like you, who think taking on us is a smart idea."

"In your dreams! I got nothing to say to a pair of heretics like you both!" Farnese cried back, as she took off running, away from him and Richard, before she was stopped by a pack of wild dogs that slowly approached them, barking furiously.

"Wild dogs... And with the spirits here... this can't be good at all." Richard answered back, before he then hopped down from his horse.

Guts and Farnese watched as the spirits took possession of the wild dogs easily, as ethereal spirits and flesh melded slowly together, before the dogs contorted and twisted, as their faces turned more feral and crazed, as well as moulding into more human-like expression and faces.

"No way... Something like this..." Farnese quivered, as she slowly backed away from the demonic dogs, before she was grabbed by Guts.

"...Can't happen?" Guts continued her sentence. "That's why, it's called a miracle on Earth. Just not the kind you expect."

"And now you see what these spirits can do, Farnese. Now do you see why there are corpses where we go? These wild dogs... This is a much more optimal case, than human possession... Because it means that you have to kill the innocent human to free them from their agony and suffering of being possessed by the spirit." Richard stated, as he unsheathed his other blade. "Stand back. You are in danger of being consumed, being so close to these demons."

Richard and Guts rushed at the possessed dogs, as they tore through them easily, cutting them to pieces. Guts beheaded one of them, as its head bounced off the ground, before it then took flight, being controlled by a much more stronger spirit.

"Flesh... Give Flesssshh..." It moaned, as it flew towards Farnese, before it was cut to pieces by a leaping Richard.

"Prayers can only help so much... Once possessed, not even the holy power vested in the church can purify the tainted soul." Richard remarked. "From there on, once host and victim has been merged together for too long, the only salvation for a possessed being... is death, as a release."

"Why shy away from the good part. If you're so spiritual, and faithful in that God of yours, you could at least give me one of those lines..." Guts smirked back, as he continued to cut through the gods. "Like 'Dear God...'. We had our fill of miracles these days, and it's enough to make me puke!"

Farnese could only watch, as Guts and Richard tear apart the possessed dogs. When she saw at how they both created dreadful corpses that were torn the same way as the corpses she associated with them along her journey through the land, with her own personal fear and dread increasing with each passing moment, brewing in her mind, slowly reaching a breaking point. And that breaking point came, when she saw a grinning spirit coming out of a dog's head, or the lack of, due to it's upper part being cut off, and yet the dog is still standing, with its host spirit exposed for her to see.

She then turned around and fled towards the horse that Guts was riding, running frantically. She noticed that it was standing back up already, although she didn't care, with the thoughts of escaping this dreadful scene burning in her mind.

"I order you! Allow me to mount you, then run! Quickly!" Farnese bellowed at the top of her voice.

She then saw the horse turn around, as her fear returned, stronger than ever, when the horse looked completely different, with burning purple eyes, and a frothing mouth. "No." The horse neighed in a deep and distorted male voice, before it then reared up, and forced Farnese flat on the ground. It then licked up her exposed torso slowly, paralysing Farnese. "I mount... the woman."

"NNOOOOOO!" Farnese wailed.

Guts then turned around, as he saw the exposed Farnese, with the possessed horse, that was about to rape her with its equine dick. His mind then flashed back to when Femto fondled and fingered Casca in the Eclipse, and the moment when Femto was about to rape her himself, as rage burned through his mind, and he shot towards the horse, before swinging his blade down, and beheading the horse, as his blade stopped just inches from Farnese's own, frightening her greatly, as she panted heavily.

She then slowly got up, while looking at the growling Guts, with fear in her eyes. He then turned to her. "Hey. If you don't want to die, quit wandering around." He snarled at her.

"A-Alright..." She whimpered back, as Guts stomped away from her.

"I won't bother to shield my wounds. I don't care if my arm's torn off. Thank to you all's stupid tricks. This vivid sentiment..." Guts growled under his breath. "...remembered after so long... this feeling that started it all. Thank you, it's the worst I ever feel. You'll all keep dying until the day breaks."

Guts then roared, as Farnese watched as more and more kind of spirits enter the fray, as the duo of him and Richard kept on cutting down spirits without any pause, as their blades began to be coated entirely in both the blood of the possessed, and the ectoplasm of the destroyed spirits. She was mesmerised by the dance of blades both of them created, spilling the contents of the dead and the spirits everywhere they stepped.

When dawn finally broke, Guts fell down onto his bottom, as he looked up to the skies, panting heavily, while Richard slowly knelt down, and placed a hand over his chest, laying his blades in front of him. Farnese was almost drawn in by the scene, as she saw in her own eyes, two beasts stained greatly in the blood of their prey, as something solemn and beautiful at the same time. And then, as if she was in reverence of both of them, she slowly bowed her head down to the ground, not noticing a stray spirit, that slowly snaked up to her.

"Powerless... Are the powerless then without sin...?" The spirit rasped in her ears, causing her to become stiff with fear. "Don't lie, don't deceive. Don't delude yourself with fair words. It exists within you, yet you cannot reveal it. Dark, dark desire, as he had told you."

"No..." Farnese denied, as she slowly rose up, shaking her head.

"Even plugging your ears are futile. Because this is your inner voice." The spirit continued. "You felt it then. Then, while you thrashed that man's refined physique. You know you felt it, it swells within you. This morbid lust. And then... as the blood trickled down his unflinching form, a wave of pleasure filled you."

"No... I don't want to hear this...!" Farnese begged silently.

"That is not all. When you lashed yourself, feigning introspection, you were constantly discovering pleasure, even within that pain." The spirit whispered. "You simply lie to your own soul from behind your religion, and devote your body to shameful pleasure. That is you."

"That's not true... I...!" Farnese tried to argue, before she then felt a cold presence nearby, as the spirit slowly turned into a shadowy copy of herself, with a twisted smile on her face.

"There is nothing at all inside you. What things you can boast of to yourself and others are trifling. You're an insignificant woman, because you fear knowing you're nothing. You're just drunk on God's authority." The copy drawled in her ears, with a aroused and pleasured copy of Farnese's own voice, all while she forced Farnese's hands to fondle her own breast, and finger herself in her clit, and licking sexually down her neck, all sending great amounts of shameful pleasure to the host. "All that exists within you is desire. You want to defile and be defiled yourself and others, body and soul. Just such a dark... dark... desire... Inside here, there is no God. Only this aching is truth. Give yourself to it for you. It's the only sure thing. You're too far from God."

As the spirit spoke, she slowly undressed herself of her own pants, while the spirit undid the knots tying her wrists together. However, neither Farnese or the spirit noticed Richard slowly approaching them. He then stopped towards Farnese, who slowly rose up, having stopped pleasuring herself, as there was a empty smile and look on her face.

Before she could react, Richard grabbed her by the face with his hand, before he then pulsated light magic through it, as the spirit screamed in agony, being banished from its host, before releasing Farnese, who crumpled back down. Richard then looked down at her.

"...Is this how far you are willing to lie to yourself... That you would let your heart sway and waver so much from God, that a accursed spirit easily worms into your heart, and reveals those desires to you...?" Richard asked Farnese. "...Perhaps you are not as faithful to God as you may seem. Committing acts of flagellation will not bring you closer to God. It only fills empty voids in your heart with sinful pleasure. That is why God states that one shall not harm themselves in His name."

She then began to sob, before she then let out a despaired cry. Richard then noticed that Serpico managed to catch up to them, riding on his horse. He then dismounted, while Richard backed away to give Farnese space. Guts slowly recovered, as he stood back up and walked up besides Richard. Serpico then slowly lifted her up. "Lady Farnese!" Serpico exclaimed, seeing her miserable expression. "Can you stand?"

"Kill them... You will kill them... here immediately. For the sake of my honour. Kill them!" Farnese screamed at Serpico.

"Lady Farnese, please calm down. That would be, well, unwise in any case. I do not know what happened... But is it not our duty in the first place to apprehend the both of them? To forfeit that for momentary feelings..."

"It doesn't matter- Kill them both!" Farnese shouted with outrage.

"To be honest, that's not possible for me. Against both of them, with either them being superhuman in their own way... I would only die in vain." Serpico calmly responded back, before he was smacked across the cheek by a betrayed Farnese. "Ouch."

Farnese then stormed away from Serpico, as Serpico turned back to them, with blood running down his nose, which he quickly wiped off. "I don't know which one of you caused her to cry. My commander, that is." He stated.

"It was not me. She was the one who put herself in such a sorry state. Even in her capture, I have not harmed her in any way. In fact, I have laid my fingers on her only once during this entire chase. And that was to snap her out of it." Richard calmly replied back.

"Don't look at me." Guts smirked back.

"You just heard the situation. And here I will ask your pardon for now. If you would be willing to overlook things..." Serpico said.

"As long as you don't actively chase after us again, our matters will remain separate, and there will be no true animosity bore between us." Richard answered back.

"I guess I owe you one, then." Guts admitted, before he then turned around. "Heh, whatever."

"Yes, well..." Serpico, scratching the back of his head, before he then reached for his blade, as Richard did the same. Both of them slashed at each other quickly, as Richard glared into Serpico's light-blue eyes, that were wide open, indicating that he was truly serious with trying to attack them. Their blades grazed each other, as Richard had a gash across his left cheek, while Serpico's right leg was cut, as the fabric of his pants was sliced apart, and his wound drew blood.

"Quick reactions. Had I drew my blade a split-second longer... that blade would find itself through my face." Richard remarked. "But I managed to attack you in time, so you redirected your attack to glance, to avoid losing a leg in the trade. That is a superb draw style. That first strike would have killed any dull-witted bandit or thief before they could think of drawing their own weapon."

"You as well. Just as expected." Serpico responded back, ignoring his leg wound, before sheathing his weapon. "So on that note, until we meet again! I've done what I meant to do."

"H-Hey!" Guts exclaimed, turning around.

"Farewell for now. You too, little one." Serpico bid them farewell, also referring to Puck, who was on Guts's shoulder.

"Heh." Guts chuckled, before he and Richard walked away. "He's tricky."

"No doubt about it." Richard agreed. "Now then, we can safely return to our friends. They'll be worried sick with us gone for so long."

"But you know, that Farnese person... She seems kinda sad. It's like, she's bound on all sides." Puck commented about Farnese.

"I'm the one who's bound up, moron! I've got even more to worry about! From dead spirits to priests... What a pain.

"Speaking of which, we forgot to ask why they're trying to catch you." Puck also noted.

"Must be something important, if they're seriously after us. The Holy See... huh..." Richard remarked. "Looks like we got holy crusaders to deal with as well. Another problem on our lists. But at least they can't be any worse to dealing with bandits and thieves. In fact, they're just a better replacement for them, now that no thief or bandit with at least two brain cells to rub together, would dare mess with us, with how we dealt with the Lord of Thieves, and executed him."

"Yeah..." Guts nodded, before the both of them entered a sukima, to return to their friends.


	13. Chapter 12

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 12: Towards the Tower of Conviction

* * *

Guts woke up somewhere he didn't recognise, as he was on some sort of hill, where there was a tall pole that had the crest of the eagle on top of it, as well as the full moon shining from the night sky.

_'What the...' _He thought, as he looked around, trying to find out where the others went. '_Where's everyone else? Where's Richard? Where's that annoying elf, Puck?_'

He then watched as the atmosphere slowly change, as there was now a large gathering of torches nearby where he was standing, and he could hear the chants of the people, although they were muffled and garbled. However, he could still tell that the chants were passionate and fanatical. When he looked back at the pole, where most of the people were facing, he felt as if his his heart choked in his throat with fear.

He saw Cacsa chained to the pole, with the kindling to start a fire to burn her alive, below her feet. Her hair was long, and she was dressed in a white dress. She could only stare forth, with a fearful expression of her own. He also saw the brand on her breast bleeding, as there were spirits that were trying to reach up to her from around her.

'_Stop... Stop! STOP!' _Guts frantically thought, as he tried to do something to prevent all of this, although he couldn't move at all, since he wasn't present at all in the scene, only a mere observer. He watched as Casca screamed out in terror, as the flames rose up to consume her. '_STTTOOOOPPPP!_'

* * *

Guts then jolted awake, as he was breathing heavily, having woken from the nightmare. He then looked around, as he noticed that everyone was still well asleep, except for Richard, who seemed to be awake as well. And by the look in his eyes, Guts knew that his sleep was interrupted.

"...Did you feel that...?" Richard asked, as he slowly rubbed his eyes. "Did you... see that dream?"

"What dream...?" Guts asked. "I did have one, but it was more of a nightmare."

"Yeah... I know." Richard answered back. "This kind of vision... I feel like it's more than mere imagination. In fact, I found a lot more, after the world faded away, when Casca was burnt alive. And I think those words are most important for all of us."

"What... what are they?" Guts replied, as he was worried.

"_When the sky falls... At the holy ground, blind sheep gather and erect a pillar of fire._" Richard answered back. "Holy... Doesn't this remind you of a certain group we just managed to escape from...?"

"...The Holy Iron Chain Knights...?" Guts asked, before he clenched his fists. "Damn them... If they managed to get Casca, then I'll...!"

"It's not them." Richard answered back. "I'd actually go up a bit more on the chain of command for the church. It's the Holy See, I assume. I think they are after Casca. And considering that the event is due to happen in a sacred location, or a holy ground... We need to find the place, before time runs out. We don't know how much time we have left. It could happen in days. It could happen in weeks, even months."

"Then we have to get back to Godo's." Guts suggested.

"A good idea. There, we can consult Rickert, Judeau or even Godo for likely locations for our search for her." Richard agreed. "I'll notify the others when we wake. You just take some rest as well. If you fall asleep on the battlefield from a lack of it during these nights... It'll be your death."

"I know." Guts responded back, before he then leaned back and slowly closed his eyes, hoping to not be assaulted by another nightmare.

* * *

_Inside the mountain of Godo's smith..._

Erica was walking along the snowy ground, as she whittled branches off trees with a small hand-held cleaver, storing them in a large basket which was considerably filled with them. She then suddenly felt the air turn cold, as she breathed onto her hands, trying to warm them, as the hot breath fogged up in the air. She then noticed a small snow-flake land on the tip of her nose, surprising her. She then looked up to the air, seeing the first snow-flakes fall down. "Snow..." She muttered.

"Snow falls~ Snow falls~ Spirit of Winter~ Gently from the sky~ Spirit of Winter~" Puck sang, attracting Erica's attention, being jolly and cheerful, dancing and spinning around the air while singing. He slowly floated towards Erica, who was absorbed by the elf's singing and dancing, as she slowly crept towards him. "It falls down like fluff~ It dances lightly down~ Try and catch it, see how wondrous-"

Puck was interrupted, as Erica clapped her hands together around his body, shocking him greatly, as he let out a cry of 'Uwonk!'. As Erica held Puck in her hands, staring at the elf with curious eyes, Puck was dazed, as his eyes were spinning, and his mouth was foaming, as well as twitching gently. "Blowing~ Lots of bubbles, spirit of winteeerrr~" He slurred.

"Y-yes! I caught something neat! Rickert!" Erica shouted with glee. "A living elf-"

She then stopped, when she saw two familiar figures before her, as Guts and Richard slowly walked towards her.

"Yo. You got a bit taller, didn't you?" Guts asked Erica.

"Well, it seems that we're finally back here again. How's old man Godo doing these days?" Richard asked Erica as well, as Erica smiled back at them.

"Richard! Guts!" Erica responded back with joy. "You're back!"

"That we are. Where's Judeau and Rickert?" Richard asked Erica.

"They're back in the hut!" Erica stated, as the others came out to greet Erica. "Let me show you all!"

She then took them back to Godo's hut, where they saw that Judeau was at one corner, polishing his throwing knives, while Rickert was in another, bearing a blacksmith's apron and a dark-coloured bandana on his head, as he was crafting horseshoes, using hammers and thongs.

"Rickert!" Erica shouted, as she came in, hefting the basket of branches on her back.

"Welcome home, Erica. Good work, thanks for your-" Rickert was about to thank Erica, before he then saw everyone gathered here, before turning to Elma, who walked forward, and smiled at him.

"Rickert... It's been a while. You look far more stronger and a lot more dutiful than before." Elma complimented Rickert.

"Heh, girl took the words out of my mouth." Guts smirked back.

Judeau heard the conversation, as he stood back up and walked over. "Well, Guts. It's been quite a while since you were gone." He responded back with a neutral expression. "Two years, I'd say?"

"It's complicated. We managed to kill off a large amount of Apostles, especially some major players." Richard answered back. "And we got caught up in some religious crap, so we were delayed to return. The thing is, we returned for-"

"Sorry, Rickert and Judeau." Guts interrupted. "Before we talk about what we went through... Is Casca... Is she safe?"

Rickert, Erica and Judeau froze, as Judeau's expression soured greatly, while Rickert averted his eyes. "Is something wrong?" Guts asked, concerned about the reactions to the question.

"Casca's... Casca's not here." Rickert admitted.

"What... What's that mean...!?" Guts exclaimed, before he then grabbed Rickert by the collar, lifting him up, looking very concerned and outraged. "What's that supposed to mean!?"

"Guts! Put him down! It can't be his fault!" Richard shouted at Guts harshly. Guts glared at Richard, but complied and lowered Rickert down. Richard then turned to Judeau, who glared at him and Guts. "I see... It was liable to happen. Something happened to her, while we were gone for those two years. I guess that she must have missed us greatly."

"Don't imply that." Judeau tersely responded back. "Rickert and I kept her company quite well, while you all went off and did your own thing. There was nothing wrong with her. We just simply worked for a single day, and she just up and disappeared-"

"...I did it." Erica stated with a regretful tone, lowering her head, with the expression of a scolded child. "It's my fault that she's gone. It's because I went and took her outside. It happened a month ago... She was living in the cave for so long, that she began to feel sick of it. She told me that she wanted to go outside. I couldn't stand to see her being so down like that, so I took her along to pick fruit. She helped me so much, using her own tamed horse to reach the gathering points so quickly. And before I knew it... She was gone. I looked for her, until the sun went down, but I couldn't find her. All I found of her, was some hoofprints in the mud, that went nowhere..."

Guts clenched his teeth, while Richard grimaced. "Shit..." Richard cursed.

"But Rickert, what are you doing here? You know full well how Casca is now! Why aren't you out looking for her!? And yet here you are, with Judeau-" Guts shouted.

Before Guts could continue, Judeau slugged him across the jaw, surprising Guts, as he found himself face-to-face with a incensed Judeau.

"Don't talk like that it's our own fault that she went off on her own." Judeau growled back. "Do you know what she's been doing lately, through the last few months...? She's been begging to know where you all have been, especially you, Guts. That started when the rumours of you and Richard slaying the Lord of Thieves were being spread out. From then on, she became desperate to find you all. And when I looked around for her, I noticed that she took a considerable portion of rations to sustain herself on the journey, as well as a large share of the money. Godo was not pleased, to say the least. It's because of the fact that you haven't been contacting us all these two years, that she became desperate to go after you. Even without any idea where you even are, she went off without any care for her life. SHE WAS YOUR DAMNED COMRADE, GUTS! You were supposed to be there for her! But no, you instead insisted on getting vengeance for the Band! Sure, I want retribution for what happened to it, but be real, what do you think we can do right now? Even if you spent your entire life killing those demons, it would be far from enough to satisfy that desire! You're just wasting your own life trying to chase after something that's already gone, that you neglected the one person that still believes in you!"

"Judeau... I..." Guts asked, with a remorseful tone, before Judeau turned to Richard.

"And you! You of all people should have realised this sooner!" Judeau snapped at Richard. "In fact, you should have never encouraged Guts to continue all of this! Is this another one of your hidden ploys, Richard? Have you tried to deceive us all again!? I will tell you this, a friend doesn't force hardships on other friends, and they most certainly don't make atrocious choices like these. So tell me, are you about to turn your backs on all of us again!?"

"Judeau, calm down!" Gus stated. "I know that you're angry, but-"

"...I'm not hiding anything this time." Richard calmly responded back. "Judeau... I'm sorry that I didn't come back to help you, but like I told you, our hands were tied up with other matters. But we could have at least visited Casca. I won't make empty apologies, but I can promise you this: Casca will be back in our care, unharmed and mentally unscathed. Even if I have to fight the entire world, I will not let Casca go through another bout of suffering like the Eclipse again. And Guts would do the same."

"...Then if you're going to find her. I'm coming with you." Judeau stated back with a firm tone. "No more holding me back. The only reason I stayed here, is to care for Casca. If she's gone off somewhere, it's also my duty as a former Hawk to bring her home safe."

"Then I won't stop you. In fact, I'll make sure you're prepared for the battles to come." Richard answered back.

"...Before we continue this, I want to tell you something. The reason why I wasn't searching like Judeau and Erica was... Because Godo... no, Master is..." Rickert remarked. "...He's upstairs. You can go up and talk with him, Guts."

Guts silently turned to Richard, with a stoic expression, as Richard nodded back. He then walked up the wooden stairs, as they creaked under his feet. As soon as he reached the attic of the house, he found Godo lying in bed, awake already.

"Too much noise." Godo grumbled. "I can't even sleep."

"Godo..." Guts said, before the elderly blacksmith turned his head around.

"Wipe that stupid look off your face. I hear you can't throw a rock without hitting a dead body down there. So what's so weird about seeing a half-dead old man or two?" Godo responded back.

"Is it the plague?" Guts asked.

"Nothing so special as all that. It's just old age... Old age..." Godo muttered, turning his head to look up at the ceiling. "Just when I thought I'd have a quiet, peaceful death... The noisy idiots had to come back. Where is Richard?"

"He is downstairs." Guts answered back.

"Well, you get to be here at my death. I guess God's being nice to you." Godo continued, before he then lifted himself up. "Enough of the long-winded speech. Let me see the sword and hand."

Guts undid the metallic arm he had, and drawing out his greatsword for Godo to inspect. Godo checked them closely one by one, before laying the sword down, and holding the metallic arm in his hands.

"Blade nicks, blood rust, bends... Shouldn't be this way even after ten years. This's going to take more than just a little elbow grease. And then there's your other friend. His blades might be in the same condition, if not worse." Godo remarked, before sighing. "You two really know how to make a blacksmith cry. I'm guessing that you swing and shoot too often to eat or sleep. You can't stay sane forever fighting that way."

"...Richard once told me that." Guts answered back.

"Then he's a fool for not following the signs, if he knows what is going on." Godo retorted back, as Guts's expression darkened. "Heh. Your face looks even more tense now than it did before. So if you didn't hate that much, you wouldn't even be able to stand up, huh? Two years ago, when Rickert rolled in here with the two of you busted up, and Richard with his little group of friends, I don't know what it was that happened to all of you. But then I heard about the monsters that you have fought against. So you're waging war against them. I can't even say for sure if that's the right thing to do... but either way, it's worse that you do it for retaliation, for revenge, and your friend is encouraging you."

Godo then lied back down. "Listen, why not run away? From war... From hatred..." Godo proposed to Guts, who was about to argue. "Just listen. It's the ramblings of a dying old man. The thing about hatred, it's the place where people who can't look sorrow in the eye without wavering, run off to. Even more than a blood-rusted sword, vengeance is something you soak and sharpen in blood. You sink the blade called your heart into blood to fix the nicks called sorrow. The more you sharpen it, the more it rusts, so you sharpen it again. In the end, all that's left is a pile of rust and scraps."

"Ah, c'mon. It's ain't like you to lecture." Guts chuckled lightly. "You telling me to become a blacksmith or something? Then what about Richard then?"

"I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to. You got some huge nicks in your heart. Damn cracks called fear, running through it." Godo answered back. "And as for Richard... Well, he's not the same as you, but there are much, much worse cracks in there, than you think. Something that fear doesn't even hold a candle to."

Guts stiffened hearing those words, as his expression soured. "You don't know... You don't understand. In this cozy place, you're about to die with nothing left behind to regret. You don't get it! No one... no human understands... that!" Guts growled, as he raised a hand over his face, as he was sweating at his recollection of the horrors of the Eclipse. "They died...! No one was left! None of it made sense... Suddenly... Unfairly... Like bugs! Without understanding anything! They were all young... They could have done something if they lived. But still, in an instant... To me, they were irreplaceable."

"Then you abandoned those irreplaceable things. You went without them." Godo responded back. "On that day, two years ago, in your hopeless suffering, you left the last irreplaceable things you had... And went away with only Richard and his friends as company. You were right beside those irreplaceable things, yet you couldn't bear to immerse yourself together in sorrow with them... So instead, you ran away so your own malice could burn inside of you. Am I wrong?"

Guts remained silent, as Godo continued his argument. "Do you have any place criticising Rickert or Judeau, who you left here? Do you have any place talking about revenge for your friends, when you're the one who went off, abandoning that girl here? At the critical moment... you go and choose yourself, and rely on fighting. You're like a drawn sword on the battlefield. One with countless nicks, soaked in blood and rusting with a lethal crack in it. A sword that's begun to break."

Guts didn't respond back, as he merely turned around, and descended down the stairs, back where the group were. Everyone turned to Guts, who silently looked at the group in return.

"Guts... I want to show you something..." Rickert stated. "Please come with me."

* * *

_At a large hill on the mountain..._

"Hurry, this way! This way!" Erica called out, as she gestured for the others to hurry up, as they walked up the hill. "See, there!"

The group turned to where Erica was pointing, as they found a large gathering of blades, that were impaled through the ground, straightly, and separated from each other. Most of the group figured out that the swords resembled graves of some sort, and they knew who they were for.

"Memorials for the dead..." Corrin remarked, as she turned to Rickert, who carried a sword with him, walking over to an open spot on the hill. "Rickert, are they?"

"Yes, Corrin. They are." Rickert stated. "It's nowhere near the right number, but I made them as practice, and as memorial for the dead Hawks. I even managed to make Pippin's warhammer, and placed it somewhere safe to keep it.

Elma moved forward to one of the swords, as she silently prayed for the fallen Hawks, while the others tread through the graveyard of swords with a solemn atmosphere.

'_Two years... Plenty of time for a person to change. In the time I've gone on hating, Rickert's done this..._' Guts thought to himself. '_Funerals to accept the death of his comrades. He found a new way to live through that vigorous strength of his..._'

Richard turned to Guts for a moment, seeing his grim expression, before he sighed, and stared over the grave-markers as well. '_I guess that despite everything... I still hurt people with my plans and my schemes... And again... I've numbed myself to it. I wonder if the longer I stay here... The closer I meet with that 'self'._'

Rickert and Erica then moved through through the graveyard, before making their way down to the cave where Guts, Casca and the other Hawks used to reside in, after the events of the Eclipse.

"It's the same as it was." Guts commented.

"And that's a good thing." Gus added.

"This is definitely somewhere where elves lived!" Puck chimed in, being nuzzled in Erica's hands like a plush doll. "I can feel it! No evil spirit's going to sneak in here easily!"

"I know you're anxious... But rest well tonight. There's a lot to talk about, but for now, we'll hurry and repair your sword and hand." Rickert told Guts, as he lit a bonfire to warm up the cave a little. "They look pretty abused, so we'll get them to where you can head out soon."

"Rickert..." Guts stated. "About earlier... uh, I'm sorry."

"No, no. I'm the one who's sorry. I got impatient too... But... These two years... Being here... I've realized some important things." Rickert answered back humbly, as he then turned to Judeau. "Judeau... Why don't you apologize as well."

"Well, you deserved to be scolded, the both of you." Judeau responded back, crossing his arms. "But I might have went a bit too far with it. And I shouldn't have lost my temper and slugged you across the jaw, Guts."

"It's alright. You were under severe pressure, and you had more than enough reason to justify why you did that." Richard assured Judeau. "But like I promised before, Casca will be back in our hands, as soon as possible."

"Hmph. Kind as ever, I see." Judeau joked, before he then turned around. "I'll be leaving. Remember, if you're setting by dawn, be expecting me to arrive there. I'm punctual, Hawk or not."

"Alright then, have a good night." Rickert answered back, as he turned around.

"Good night." Erica stated, still holding Puck in her hands.

"Good night, see you again if fate decrees." Puck also said.

"The rest of you, find some place to lay down on. We should sleep early, so that we are in proper spirits to start out journey."

The group complied, as Guts moved over to the bed where he used to lie on, before he then saw Richard come over to where he was, as he sat beside the grizzled survivor.

"Just so you know, Guts. I'm moving over here, because I know that things are already as bad as it is now, and there is only worse things to come." Richard answered back. "Add to the fact that you're uneasy without your blade, used to carrying it for protection in your sleep. So why don't you let me keep 'guard' for you then? I got my own sword in hand, and if there really is danger coming our way, I'll snap awake in a second or two to drive them away. So you can rest easy. You need the rest more than I do."

"...Thanks." Guts answered back, before he then laid his head down on the pillow, and slowly lulling into a deep sleep.

Richard then gently stroked Guts's head, much like a caring parent soothing a child that was afraid.

"Oh, Guts... These moments of tranquility and peace... You really should make the most of them." Richard remarked with a gentile smile on his lips. "Because when the time comes, I hope that you will be strong enough to continue the journey that we have started together. When I'm not there, I hope that my time here with you hasn't eroded you in any way, but made you more resilient and powerful than you would have been without my help before."

* * *

_At the dawn of the next day..._

The group were gathered at the front of Godo's house all prepared, as Guts was inspected his repaired blade, which was back to a mostly clean condition, without any visible nicks that indicates the blade's age and condition before. He inspected it closely, looking it over under the early sun's light, while Rickert approached him, holding a satchel of weapons in one hand, and a new version of Guts's repeating crossbow.

"How's your armour? The master had it ready for when you came back." Rickert asked back, noting the change of armour on Guts's body, which was slightly more metallic and durable than his previous set, as Guts sheathed his blade on his back.

"Yeah, it's lighter than it looks." Guts answered back. "And it feels good."

"I've also got these new weapons I invented that use gunpowder, and a new model repeating crossbow." Rickert told Guts, handing over the satchel and the repeating crossbow. "Even if you don't put them altogether at once, you'll get the hang of them soon enough."

Guts equipped the repeating crossbow on his metal arm, before then doing a few practice tugs on the bowstring of the rapid-firing weapon. "Wow. Good stuff!" He remarked.

At that moment, Judeau then arrived where the group was, as he wielded his own blade, as well a set of his personal throwing knives. "Well now, looks like you all got here before I did." Judeau remarked, as some of the group turned their attention towards him."I have to say, I'm used to being the first ones to get to places in time for meetings. But I guess that this is a fresh new change of pace for me, if it's going to happen often from now on. So... when are we heading off?"

"We're not going off yet." Reimu replied back. "After all, I wouldn't just run off right now. We have absolutely no clue where Casca might be. Without a clue, we could literally wander the entire continent ten times around, and we wouldn't be able to find her just by blindly wandering around. At least we need to have a initial plan before we head off."

"Rickert, before we go, I would like to ask you something." Richard intruded into Guts's and Rickert's conversation. "Do you happen to know any nearby holy grounds, or at least any famous churches, especially those that are known to be quite popular for those faithful to the god of the religions practised there?"

"Holy ground... Holy ground..." Rickert pondered. "Come to think of it, if you follow the high road northeast for about three days, there's an old monastery called St. Albion Temple. I don't know why, but it's referred as the Tower of Conviction. Maybe that's the place? And I heard that right now, that place is overflowing with refugees. From what I heard as well, heretics were mixed in with the refugees, and an inquisitor will be dispatched by the Holy See before long. Put short, it's going to be a witch hunt and trial."

Richard and Guts traded a look, as they both knew the name, as it was the one that Farnese and the Holy Iron Chain Knights served under.

"Guts? Richard...? What's wrong?" Rickert asked, noting the serious expression on both of their faces.

"It's nothing. But I guess that it's a good feeling. I just know that there's clues to her whereabouts there." Richard stated. "Guts believes that as well. It may not be accurate, but we need to at least try."

"Okay, we're off." Guts stated, as he turned around, and Richard did the same.

"Guts... Richard... Take care of Casca... Then be sure to come back here." Rickert told them both firmly, as they stopped for a moment.

"We promise." Richard smiled back, before turning to the rest of his group. "Everyone, prepare to set off!"

Everyone stopped chatting, as they got their own equipment onto themselves, before they turned to leave. Guts then turned back, seeing that Godo was peeking out of the attic window, with Erica beside him.

"Godo. You're a good blacksmith. I'll count on you again once we come back." Guts told him.

"So you say! Worthless fool." Godo grinned back, as Erica tried to get Godo back on his bed.

"So Judeau... You sure that you're ready to go? We told you what you might be in for." Richard told Judeau, who was on horse-back.

"Of course. Even if I have to go through that hell again, I'm going to save Casca with you guys." Judeau answered back. "Besides, wasn't it you who told Reimu to bless my own gear to help slay demons? I think that you're happy to bring me along."

"Heh. You got me there, Judeau." Richard smirked back.

The group then proceeded along the road, heading down the mountain, towards Albion. Little did they know, that Casca was already under the care of someone.

* * *

_One month prior, onto the path towards Albion..._

The next batch of refugees were making their way to Albion, guided by the Holy Iron Chain Knights, where all three of Farnese, Serpico and Azan were present, as they were chatting with each other.

But amongst the crowd, was a concerned and uneasy Casca, who has allowed her own brown hair to grow long, and was dressed in simple clothing. She stayed deeply within the crowd of refugees, as if she was afraid of being found.

"Just my rotten luck..." Casca muttered to herself, as she walked in pace with the refugees. "I barely manage to avoid the plague, and managed to shake off the trail of the pursuers, who seemed to recognise me, by mingling with the crowd of refugees. Whatever this 'Holy See' is, I don't think that it's anything good at all... All those heretic burnings... I better not be found out by them, or being killed off is going to be the least of my worries."

She then sighed, as he looked around. "Guts... Where are you...?" Casca asked herself with a worried expression. "Ever since you went off to take out the demons, there has been little news of you. And when I arrived at the town where the rumours of you and Richard slaying the Lord of Thieves started... Although they helped me a lot, I'm no closer to any of you. I can only hope that we'll meet again soon."

As she thought about Guts, Richard and the rest of the group, she then heard the sound of hoof-beats getting closer to where she was, as she was immediately pulled back by a man, causing her to yelp.

"Hey, what's the big deal-" Casca was about to roar back at the man, before she noticed that he was pointing at a large white iron carriage that was being pulled by three pair of horses, with an escort of knights around it, as the knights used their spears and lances to make people move back. On top of the carriage was four large red wheel, that were connected to the top corners on the carriage by the pole on their spokes.

"Clear the way! Clear the way! The inquisitor is passing through!" The man in front of the carriage bellowed to the refugees.

"That's one huge carriage." A boy remarked, held in the arms of his father.

"Damn it, who do they think they are!?" The father growled in protest.

"Shhh! Don't go shooting your mouth off!" The man who pulled Casca back earlier, warned the father. "A huge white carriage armoured with steel plate. No mistaking it, that's the inquisitor's wagon. It ain't just any inquisitor either. See those four red wheels hoisted above the carriage? That's the token of 'Bloody Scripture Mozgus'."

"Bloody Scripture Mozgus...! That...!" The father exclaimed, paling at the mention of the name, as well as many of the refugees in earshot, with Casca being one of the few exceptions.

'_Blood Scripture Mozgus... I never heard of this person... But the way that the refugees speak of him.. He is a very infamous figure who instigates fear amongst them._' Casca thought to herself.

"The wheel, impaling, stake burning, water torture... No less than 500 people have been put to death under his judgement. And many times that number had lost their lives during torture. Those numbers are just like war. What's more, they say that once you're in his grasp, a single mole can make you a witch or heretic. He's the most famous and feared inquisitor around the world. For that alone, I'm sure that he's the target of lots of spite and malice. But what can you do? He's the kind of person who is never lightly guarded, as you can see."

Casca noticed something above her, as she saw a large group of men who were armed with cross-bows and blades were stationed above, as if preparing to ambush the refugees, or the inquisitor, which they are mostly aiming their eyes and weapons at. She felt a sense of dread, as she backed a little into the crowd, hoping that she will be safe amongst the panic that will ensue soon when the attack is sprung.

Soon, the crossbowmen fired down on the carriage, as their arrows were repelled by the carriage's armour. As soon as the rain of arrows ended, the other attackers jumped down, hurling curses at the escort. The Holy Iron Chain Knights noticed the commotion, as Farnese was panicked. "Enemy attack...!?" She exclaimed.

"Die, Mozgus!" One of them carried, driving his axe down onto a knight's head, only for it to be blocked barely.

"My daughter!" Another one cried with vengeance, swinging his blade onto a knight.

"My son! This is for my murdered family! You'll pay!" Yet another man cried, as he jumped on top of the carriage, as he slowly made his way down.

Casca watched as the attack proceeded, as the refugees panicked and fled in all directions, away from the battle occurring before them. She remained at a safe distance, as she was sure that she was safe where she was, since neither the attackers, nor the knights were aware of her. However, what surprised her, is when she saw a young female with blonde hair, that was making her way towards the battle, as if she was intrigued by the battle.

"Wait, you can't go there!" Another woman cried, as it was a woman with flowing long brown hair, wearing a tunic, skirt and scarf on her body, chasing after the girl. "It's dangerous to get there!"

The blonde lady seemed to easily slip past the fleeing refugees, but the same couldn't be said about her brown-haired pursuer. When she reached the inner edge of the crowd, Casca decided to intervene, as she pushed past the crowd with her body, and caught the lady by the arm, allowing Casca to see her face, as she had blue eyes, and wore a short purple dress.

"Oh. Did I do something wrong?" The lady asked back with a gentle and melodious voice.

"You shouldn't get too close. You could be killed by accident." Casca scolded the other woman.

"I'll be fine. I'm not suicidal, I'm just making sure that I'm at the right place." The lady responded back with a sweet smile.

"For what?" Casca asked.

"You will see. By the way, would you mind if you would stay by my side? I would not mind having someone to speak with." The lady responded back.

"Speaking... at this time...!?" Casca responded back, flustered by the lady's words. "...Very well. If it'll stop you from going further."

The lady nodded back, as one of the raiders managed to reach the front door of the carriage.

"Get out of here, Mozgus!" The man demanded, before he was assaulted by some sort of grappling hook, that clamped over his head, sending him backwards, as the hook tightened around his skull, crushing it and his brain.

"Wha- What just happened!?" Another one of the attackers exclaimed, before he and another of his comrades found themselves trapped by a pair of large sawblades, being held by a pair of black hooded figures, bare of any upper clothing. The hooded figures then brought the handles of the saw-blades closer, as they cut through the both of them, as their severed halves hit the ground with meaty thuds.

Another hooded figure, this one a much smaller one, nimbly dashed through the crowd of attackers, using his twin pliers in his hands to pluck the eye of the attackers out. And another hooded figure, one that had a giant and bulky physique, carried a large metal wheel, and using it to crush the attackers under it with a downwards smash.

"Wh-What are these guys!?" The leader of the attackers exclaimed, before he was seized by a large man-catcher with a spiked exterior, knocking his hat off, as the holder of the pole, a man dressed in a black robe, wearing the mask of a crow's head, forced him down onto the ground, as the other hooded men ceased their attack on the men, gathering up around the crow-headed apprehender.

"Gracious... What an noisy affair." A deep male voice rang from the carriage, before a large man, dressed in a traditional pontiff's garb, white with gold trimming and a red cloth that had the insignia of the Holy See, which was the same shape as the idol that Richard saw with Farnese, and a red, wide-brimmed hat with ear covers. His head was fairly cubic-like, with a flattened nose to match, as well as blue eyes that radiated authority. "The lord doth revere silence."\

As the chaos died down, Farnese and the other Holy Iron Chain Knights were able to reach the inquisitor. "Father Mozgus! Are you uninjured?" Farnese asked him.

"Miss Farnese." Mozgus responded back.

"I beg your forgiveness! I was foolish enough to allow an attack!" Farnese begged, kneeling down with the rest of her group.

"No, no. You need not be so humble. Please, raise your heads." Mozgus stated, with a smile. "Our Holy Father is magnanimous towards his own. More importantly, it is a blessing that none from the Holy See became causalities. That is God's divine protection."

"You are most gracious. We shall endeavour earnestly from here on." Farnese gratefully responded back, before she stood back up, looking towards the hooded group. "But Father Mozgus, who are these?"

"Aah... These are my devoted torturers. With wills of iron long cultivated by strict discipline and duty, they are very useful to me in this time of crisis." Mozgus introduced his disciples to Farnese.

"They seem most reliable..." Farnese muttered, looking at them.

"Now, line the party of attackers up here." Mozgus ordered, as the knights brought the restrained attackers, those who survived, towards him. The crow-masked disciple dragged the leader right before Mozgus, much to the latter's protest and struggling. "So, I would hear the reason you attacked me."

"Revenge! You accused our village of being a refugee for heretics, and while the men were working away from home..." The leader spat back with hatred. "You burned all the remaining villagers to death! Woman and children- No one was left!"

"It is certainly a misfortune that such a thing happened. But I was following God's doctrine, in that I passed judgement fairly." Mozgus calmly responded back.

Casca could have sworn that the blonde lady beside her scoffed audibly at that, as she saw the smile disappear from her lips, as her expression turned much more judgmental.

"What was fair about it!?" The leader screamed back, infuriated by the response. "All we did suggest that we temporarily suspend our offerings to the church since our food stores had hit rock bottom from the famine! And you arbitrarily... It's divine punishment! God's wrath... is upon you!"

"Punishment... Punishment?" Mozgus repeated the word, as his expression began to strain, as veins began to bulge on his face, as his eyes began to reveal a mad glint of unholy rage within them. "You dare speak of punishment!? YOU MISGUIDED FOOL!"

Mozgus screamed the last word out, as he slammed the holy book in his hands, right into the top of the leader's head, as it caved in his skull and crushed his brain, with a visible marking on top of his damaged head, as blood leaked out of his eyes and nose, with the former having popped out from the force of the bashing strike. Even with the blood in his hand dripping blood from where it struck the leader, he continued to bring it down repeatedly on top of the leader's head.

"Of all things, an apostate who rebels against a priest speaks of divine punishment!?" Mozgus raged. "People such as you all... No! No one on Earth besides we of the Holy See! None of you have any place presuming to be God's mouthpiece!"

After the leader's head was smashed open, as his eyes and nose were already leaking copious amounts of blood, that the moment his head landed on the ground, a blood pool quickly formed under it. Mozgus then wiped some of the blood off his book, before then putting it into his clothing, and turning to Farnese.

"Miss Farnese." Mozgus stated, having returned back to his calm state. "What manner of action dost thou feel is appropriate for them?"

"...Those who would plot to murder a priest, usually warrant burning, or breaking on the wheel." Farnese responded back, after pausing for a moment.

"Categorically answered. Just what I would expect from the glorious leader of the Holy Iron Chain Knights. Splendid insight." Mozgus replied back, impressed by Farnese's answer. "Moreover, they are flagrant delictors. They have no defense. And we are pressed for time and cannot waste it on involvement with them."

Mozgus then snapped his fingers, as the giant disciple walked forward. "By my authority, I pass summary judgement upon them here. The sentence: All of the accused are condemned to death by the wheel." Mozgus declared coldly, as the attackers begged or cursed the inquisitor. The saw-blade wielding twins brought out wooden stocks, setting them on the ground, before then forcing one the attackers onto the stocks, binding his limbs on them with strong rope.

"Forgive me...! Stop! Stop iiiit!" The man begged, as the giant disciple raised his wheel, before bringing them down with full force, as it made a resounding crunching sound of the man's bones being pulverized, as the legs were severed by the wheel forcing them into the stocks that were made to cut the limbs off from the strike. As for the man himself, he was already in shock, frothing from his mouth, and become relatively unresponsive. His arms were next, as the refugees watched on with either fear or with sadistic glee, with most of them leaning to the former. Even Farnese, who watched the man's torture up close, felt her sadistic desires flare up, as she took off her helmet, and pulled back the fabric neck-warmer, as she was sweating profusely in pleasure.

As for Casca, she was utterly horrified, as she was unable to comprehend what she was seeing, and how the refugees were reacting to it. The lady beside her... She didn't seem to care, as her expression was stuck at mild disdain at the process.

As soon as all the limbs were severed, the already comatose man was tied up to a wooden wheel, with his severed limbs tied around the wheel as well. It was then mounted to a wooden pole that was erected nearby.

"N-Next." The knight stated, hesitating a little, as he was holding a man who was shaken badly by the atrocious torture of his comrade.

The man then screamed with fear, as he pushed the knights holding him off, running frantically away, before bumping into Casca, knocking her down.

"H-Help me...!" The man pleaded, as Casca looked at him silently. Before either of them could do anything, the lady beside her dragged the man up, before she then kicked her down to the ground with a kick to the chest.

"What are you-" Casca was about to say, before the lady spoke.

"Don't beg for help, when it was your own foolishness that dragged you into this." The lady coldly reprimanded the convict. "You are a man. Face your death with proper dignity, because there is no escape for you. The sooner you accept your demise, the less you'll suffer. After all, you sought revenge when you are too weak to commit to it. You have none to blame but yourself."

The convict was frightened by the cold stare that the woman was given, so much that he didn't notice the knight dragging him, until he was far enough from her. The knight glanced at the lady, who merely smiled gently back, as the knight was slightly unnerved at the sudden turn of personality, but did not question it further. The sentenced man begged to the last moment, even through the pain of his limbs being smashed, before being reduced to despaired sobbing, as he was fixed onto his wheel to be left to die.

"Why...?" Casca asked the lady.

"Because it's not our place to get involved here. You have seen what they are capable of. So I refuse to allow us to be dragged into something that is not related to us." The lady responded back firmly. "After all, you and I are powerless to stop this. We can only watch. That is our only choice, if either of us wish to continue living."

"R-Right." Casca answered back.

The executions proceeded, as Casca became increasingly tense and horrified with each sentencing, before the lady chimed in again.

"Don't you find it sad, friend?" The lady stated, as Casca turned to her. "The fact that almost all of the refugees are acting like that they revel in the torturing of the heretics? And that all of this was caused by disgusting circumstances."

"What do you mean?" Casca asked back.

"As someone who is fairly faithful to God myself, I believe that this is truly wrong." The lady answered back. "Because I am quite well-versed in the teachings of God, and according to them, he would have never approved of the events here."

"Even so..." Casca sighed. "What can we do about it?"

"Simple, we just await for change to come." The lady responded back, with a fairly hopeful smile. "After all, someone like Mozgus would never be able to have long lives, being garnered with the hatred of all of the common-folk, with his faith the only shield he has. But even that, will eventually waste away, and he will meet his demise."

"...What do you mean?" Casca asked the lady, confused about what she was talking about.

"I see that you need to understand my view, before you can understand what I am talking about..." The lady replied back with a gentle sigh. "Many people who are against Mozgus, blame the religion for their suffering. But that's not the right way to see it. Although biased as a faithful devotee of God, I believe that the fault lies not in God, but Mozgus himself."

"That much I can tell..." Casca answered back with disgust in her voice.

"Think about it this way. Do you believe that even an inquisitor, whose role is to root out heretics would possess a team of torturers at the ready? This is a sign of sure malice, something that God himself would frown upon greatly. 'Thou shalt not torture thy enemy.'. That is one of the first commandments of God, that the people have long forgotten, and the one that remains in my mind strongly." The lady stated. "Not to mention that he has passed off the purification of an village as fair judgement. Not even the most harshest of inquisitors would dare to commit such a bloody act. With these two pieces of evidence currently, if it was proven, would it not be enough to prove that Mozgus is defying God's word, rather than spreading it. That is why I scoff at his proclamation of fair justice, and his role as God's mouthpiece: There may be those who convey His will, but none would be so arrogant to proclaim themselves as the sole mouthpiece of God himself."

Casca nodded back in agreement, as the both of them watched the executions proceed along, as the entire attacking party were bound on their wheels, left to rot, for the vultures and crows to pick off their corpses. At that time, Mozgus returned back to his carriage, as did his group of torturers, and the refugees continued their way through the road to Albion.

"Oh, I never asked your name." Casca stated. "If I was really in danger before, then I have to thank you for helping me speak, even if it was in a cruel manner."

"You need not thank me. I was merely repaying your favor staying by my side all this time, and lending me an ear without screaming and cursing me like the others would have." The lady smiled warmly back. "My name is Yuna. It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms..."

"Casca. Just call me Casca." Casca answered back.

"Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm sure that we'll be able to get along together during these harsh times. You are a very prominent woman, to have the looks of a woman with an unbending spirit."

"Yeah..." Casca muttered, as her mind wandered off, thinking back to the golden days she had as the Hawks' female officer before the Eclipse.

* * *

_At present time, with Guts's group..._

The group managed to arrived near a small village on the road, as they seemed to be fairly exhausted from having to deal with another night of accursed spirits and monsters that were after Richard and Guts.

"I swear... If this keeps up, I'm going to have to erect spiritual barriers myself every night, if it would put an end to this annoying routine." Reimu growled, as she looked fairly grumpy.

"Now I know what you guys have to deal with every night." Judeau stated. "Still, I think that our numbers are enough to handle them. I'm not much of a sleeper, so I don't mind."

"Easy for you to say..." Antonio growled back. "The rest of us prefer a undisturbed rest, thank you very much!"

When they entered the village, they found that it was completely empty and desolate, which concerned many of the members in the group.

"That's odd... The village is empty..." Corrin stated, as she drew her Yato. "I don't think that this place is safe, if there is not a single person here."

"The village also seems to be in fine condition, despite its lack of residents... This is clearly a sign of danger, or a enemy trap." Gunter added his opinion on the situation.

"Guts and I will scout ahead. If you hear the sounds of battle, immediately move to support, got it?" Richard asked the others.

"I'm going as well." Judeau stated. "Don't try to convince me not to."

As Guts, Richard and Judeau moved ahead, they heard the sound of blades slicing through flesh, as well as the death-cry of soldiers, confirming their deductions that there is danger in the village. When they reached the source of the sounds, they found a large group of assassins, that were clad with tattered robes with face-masks, as well as all of them being dark-skinned, and between them were the corpses of several bandits. One of them was approaching a ginger-haired child with brown eyes, wielding a large sword sheath, and wearing a leather cape, with a brown tunic and dirtied white shorts and brown boots. The boy was in fear, as the assassin slowly pulled his blade out, ready to kill the child where he stood.

"Wait... Aren't they...!?" Judeau exclaimed, realizing that the group were extremely familiar.

"We know. How could we forget them?" Richard asked, as he drew his blades. "Judeau, take out the one threatening the boy first. We'll deal with the rest."

Judeau didn't answer back, but did so, driving a knife through the head of the assassin, as he fell to the ground right in front of the boy. This attracted the attention of the other assassins, who turned their attention to Richard and Guts, as well as Judeau."

"Say, Guts... How long has it been since we had to deal with those guys? The Bakiraka, if I remember clearly?" Richard asked Guts.

"Not long enough, if you ask me." Guts grumbled back, drawing his weapon as well.

"Heh, they're not so tough if you ask me. A bunch of circus performers, led by a more skilled performer." Richard smirked back, before he then turned to them. "Oi, where's your leader? I would like to ask how he's been doing all these years?"

The Bakiraka members drew their blades immediately, menacingly approaching the both of them. Richard scoffed at them in response.

"Please... You couldn't kill me back then, you won't be able to kill me now. Same goes for Guts. We got a few new tricks up our sleeves. Care to try us?" Richard mocked them.

The Bakiraka then charged at the group, as Guts and Richard gladly obliged to their request to fight, as they carved through the first few assassins that were foolish enough to try and charge them from the front, ending up being sliced and cut into pieces. Richard then noticed one of the assassins trying to catch him unaware from above, only to side-step, and erect a earth spike that shot up and impaled the attacker. Judeau then drew his weapon, proving to be much more skilled and agile than the assassins, parrying their blows flawlessly, and taking them down with quick slashes.

As the boy watched the trio in action, he heard Puck's voice. "Hey. punk!" He called out, as the boy looked down, with the elf beckoning him to follow. "Here! Head down and don't move! Geez, this is the problem with kids!"

The boy was stunned, as he said nothing, and did what the elf told him, while still watching the trio fight the assassins.

As the group fought on, Guts managed to block several chakrams thrown at him, with his metal arm, before returning the favor with a series of crossbow bolts, that pierced the heads and organs of the throwers, before then severing the legs of several nearby assassins with a wide cleave, as their speed wasn't enough to avoid his swing fully.

After a while, the rest of the group came in, when a considerable portion of the assassins were taken out by the group, as they easily dispatched the assassins together. The boy was stunned at how easily the group swept through the assassins, as Puck then moved over his ear.

"Hey, kid. You've got food on ya. Liquor, too." Puck told the stunned boy. "I can smell that you're hiding them. Hand some over, they'll do as thanks, so don't sweat it. After all, ain't like we're robbing you. We just want some of your stuff. Elma's a little hungry these days."

The boy handed several pieces of hood, that he hidden with his cape, as Puck collected them, and slowly made his way over to Elma, who collected them. When the boy laid his eyes on her, he was once again stunned by the beauty of her appearance, as well as the gentle appearance that radiates compassion, as well as the alluring smile she made when Puck brought the food over.

"Thank you, Puck." Elma thanked Puck, patting his head gently, as the small elf enjoyed it greatly.

"Alright, that takes care of a past haunt." Richard stated, sheathing his swords. "I don't know if they're going to hunt us down now, but for their own safety, they better not. After all, with how we are now... Velouria would tear that leader of theirs to shred in no time flat, without any chance of him being able to survive."

"Yeah, I remember that time. Had me surprised a few times, but he wasn't anyone special." Velouria remarked. "Any senior member of my clan would have put him in his place, if they actually knew how to use claws like I was taught to by you and Corrin."

"We wasted enough time. Let us get moving." Guts stated, as the group moved out of the village.

However, he was unaware that the boy from before was following behind them, although the ones who saw him, didn't comment, as they weren't sure about his reason of following after them.

Velouria did, however, managed to see a familiar figure in the distance, as she gave them a devious and toothy grin, before she then headed back to the group.

And on the other side... Silat shivered, seeing the smile that the wolf-girl made, as it reminded him of their fight several years ago.

"That accursed woman... We absolutely cannot afford to hunt them down." Silat spoke to himself, surrounded by several bald men covered with exotic religious tattoos. "Should we meet in battle... I will not make it out alive."

* * *

_Back with Casca, several days after the meeting with Yuna..._

A man dressed in the casual garb, bearing the insignia of the Holy Iron Chain Knights, left a tattered tent, situated near the holy tower in Albion. The same brown-haired woman who tried to stop Yuna before, with freckled cheeks and a simple blue and white apron dress, waved goodbye to the Holy Iron Chain Knights member, with a smile on her lips, until the man disappeared through the camp. As soon as she did, she scratched the back of her head and sighed.

"I swear, if I took every sweet nothing I heard seriously... I'd never make it as a prostitute." She sighed deeply, before the tent beside her rustled, as the heads of four young women, of varying appearances came out. as she turned to them.

"Heyyy! Heyyy!" A black-haired girl with olive-green eyes called out.

"We heard that, Luca." Another lady, slightly younger than the now-named Luca, with wavy blonde hair and brown eyes stated.

"Lucky you, Luca." The third member of the group, a short girl with short brown hair that is brushed to the sides, like tails, and sky-blue eyes, stated.

"I'd love to be told something like that by someone. Not even nobility, just an wealthy young merchant." The black-haired girl muttered with a dreamy tone.

"The best you could do is a shop apprentice." The blonde-haired girl joked.

"Now, now. Fouquet makes a good point." Yuna stated, as she approached the group. "It would best to earn the favor of many people. A golden rule of prostitution is to treat your customer right. You might never know if they'll be of great help. Even if they're crude and rude, sometimes bearing it will yield better results."

The girls talked amongst themselves, as Luca turned to Yuna. "Wait, how do you know of this?" Luca asked.

"Well, didn't I tell you? I used to be quite the prostitute myself." Yuna chuckled. "I was the bread-winner of the little brothel I was in. And the conditions that I put down aren't as tight as the other highly-rated girls. All you had to do is treat a girl right, and you get your brief moments of ecstasy and pleasure with me. And trust me, every man I worked with... They came away with all of their 'juice' squeezed out of them."

"I see... How did you do?" Luca asked.

"I don't know... How did that man from before treat you?" Yuna teased with a devious smile. "Did he pay you for what you're worth?"

"Indeed. Come in, all of you. And bring your own earnings for the day with you, Yuna." Luca stated, beckoning the girls to come in.

The girls came into Luca's tent, as they brought out their small baskets, before Luca hefted a bag of grain up in hers, before pouring them into the baskets, almost enough to fill them halfway, including the two baskets on the floor that belong to Yuna and Casca.

Speaking of Casca, she slowly made her way into the tent, as her head was tied up with bandages to hide most of her face from public sight, before she noticed that her basket was filled with grain. She picked it up and nodded in gratefulness. "Thank you again for the grain, Luca."

"You're welcome, Elaine. As for the rest of you, don't eat it all at once." Luca stated, before Yuna came in, holding a bag filled with vegetables, stunning Yuna. "How...!?"

"Let's just say that i met a fat pig with a fatter wallet." Yuna chuckled. "For a self-proclaimed man of faith, he is unfaithful to his own wife. I gave him the pleasure he wanted, and he compensated without fault. So eat up, little ones. I managed to get a feast for all of you."

Luca sighed, before Yuna distributed the vegetables into the baskets of the girls, as well as the others. "Alright, just one more thing for all of you." Luca stated, before she then took off the pearl necklace around her neck.

"Oh, that knight gave that to you?" The brown-haired girl asked Luca.

"Wow, that's so pretty." The blonde-haired girl stated.

Luca then snapped the necklaces, as the small pearl beads bounced on the ground, surprising the girls. "Listen to me, divide the pearls up evenly among everyone." She told the girls.

"Huh? But it was for you, Luca..." The brown-haired girl protested.

"And that is a lesson that you must learn, little apprentices." Yuna smiled. "Beauty and wealth go hand-in-hand in some cases. Sometimes, even beauty cannot save you from your own poverty. Material possessions like this necklace, do not matter as much to your life as your own wealth, to sustain your own lives. Do not value mere jewelry above your lives, lest it brings you disaster in the end."

"Sister Yuna... Why have you become a prostitute? I thought that you were a woman faithful to God. Surely the men of the church would consider you to be committing heresy." The black-haired girl, Fouquet, asked Yuna.

"Oh, Fouquet. I am faithful to God. In fact, I have yet to turn my back on his teachings." Yuna answered back. "You may believe that I am selling my own body out, but I am not of sin, because I have not committed a true act of sexuality, due to my status as a widowed woman. Even if my husband is deceased, I will not allow my own virginity to be taken away again. In fact, I pray to God every night, for him to forgive me for my own actions, for I am alone in this world, with neither those of the same faith as I, or someone of the same mind as I, to rely upon in these dark times. And when I met you all, I believe that my prayers are answered. My return to prostitution does nothing to undermine my faith. I am still loyal to God."

"Sister Yuna..." The brown-haired girl stated, before the girls collected the pearls into their hands.

"Now as always, we share half our earnings with the neighbors." Luca instructed the girls.

"What, again?" The brown-haired girl argued back.

"Pepe, it is only fair we spread the wealth. Greed is a sin under God's law." Yuna answered back. "There is no wrong in sharing the wealth with the men around us, to garner their goodwill towards us. If they think positively of us, we will be sheltered by them in return. A good deed is repaid by good deeds, no matter what form it takes."

"Yes ma'am..." Pepe responded back, before the girls left, as the fourth member, who remained silent the entire time, a girl with blue eyes and very curly blonde hair approached Luca.

"Take this, I told a customer, who is also an doctor, about your condition, and he gave me this as payment. He said to drink a mouthful morning and night." Luca told her, as she handed a bottle filled with medicinal fluid inside to the girl, who received it gratefully. "Yuna, could you take Elaine and Nina, and leave? Also please take care of everyone's meal. I don't want any of them getting hungry."

"If you wish, Luca." Yuna responded back, before escorting Nina and Casca out of the tent, just as another man, who seemed to be a customer of Lucas made his way into her tent.

As the three of them walked, they made their way past a group of people, who were pelting a heretic locked in stocks with stones, with even the children joining in, all screaming curses at the heretic. Yuna quickly moved them along, before they would be forced to participate in the cruel event. At the same time, they heard the cries of a wizened old man, crying out about the religion of the 'Goddess of Flames'. As they passed along, without anyone noticing it but herself, Yuna smirked evilly to herself, hearing the old man's cries for faith in their religion.

Eventually, the group made their way to the river-side of the camp, as Nina used a bucket to scoop up water for the others to drink, while Casca and Yuna stated.

"Well, I'd say today's a good haul all in all. No stupid conflicts, managed to get ourselves a square meal to nourish us, and nobody tried to make moves on either of us." Yuna stated. "Wouldn't you say the same, eh, Elaine?"

Casca looked beyond the river, as she was slightly depressed at the circumstances. Having to stay with Luca and Yuna, who were both forced into prostitution in order to help themselves, and their little group survive through the harsh conditions of the camp. She was even more concerned, at how easily Yuna accepted herself to prostitution, considering how strong-willed she seemed, when they met back at the day of the attack.

"Yuna... Do you really want to do this?" Casca asked back.

"...Not like I have a choice. May as well do what I have done best in before." Yuna responded back calmly. "If prostitution is the quickest and safest way to earn us some money and some goods to help us, I may as well use my skills in the area to help all I can. After all, I feel sorry for the men who are paying more than they do for me. Goes to show how skilled I am, because I am literally becoming a much better prostitute than Luca herself, having reasonable prices for reasonable services."

"About your husband... Was it the plague that did him in?" Casca asked again.

"...Yes." Yuna responded back, as her tone was slightly melancholic. "He was a good man. When I was young, I was forced into prostitution to take care of my ailing family. It wasn't exactly as bad as it sounded. I was more of a extra package to the best girls in the industry, to cater for those who like their servers a little young. No-one would dare to try and shove their members into me. It was punishable by death, until I was both at the right age, with the right experience to do so. But I did help the men 'release', after being taught the ropes by the leading woman of the brothel. Eventually, I grew up, inherited the title, and lived a fairly good life. But then it got a little better, when I met the priest that would later become my husband. He seemed to see a good soul within me, despite my depraved acts, and taught me about religion. I swore off the ways of prostitution then, devoting myself to understanding God and following his teachings. He even offered to give my family a proper life that they deserve, and stuck with it all the way. It was a terrible thing to find him dead, along with my entire family. I was devastated, but my husband told me to live, for my death would be a complete waste of potential. So I continued to live, to return to the life that I have been given, and live a happy life, in memory of my husband."

"But now I returned to prostitution, just so that we could survive. And worst of all, I enjoy it. Although prostitution is not exactly forbidden by God's law, it is strongly frowned upon. So tell me, do you believe that God would forgive someone like me?" Yuna asked Casca.

"...If God is as benevolent and forgiving as you believe him as, I believe that He will." Casca answered back. "A god exists to help those who give him proper faith and respect. Especially if he's a god that is meant to keep order and peace in this world."

"I hope so as well... I hope so as well, Elaine..." Yuna replied back with a hopeful smile.

Nina watched as the two spoke closely to each other, feeling a little envious. Casca, however, was startled, when she saw demons just by the side of the river.

"Elaine...? Elaine...? Are you alright?" Yuna asked.

Casca was silent, as he watched the demons fade away, as if they were mere visions, before she rubbed her eyes a little.

"...No, it's nothing. I thought I saw something." Casca answered back.

"Then we better get back then. Who knows what lurks here." Yuna offered.

Casca complied, as Yuna whistled to Nina, who got out of the river, as the three of them went back to the refugee camp.

Little did either Casca or Nina knew... Yuna's other hand, which she hidden from their view, had two fingers stuck out, as they glowed briefly with violet light, before it faded away.


	14. Chapter 13

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 13: Isidro Joins and Casca Returns

* * *

_On the path to Albion, during dawn..._

The ginger-haired boy watched from afar, hidden behind a rock, as Richard and his group slowly prepared themselves for rest, slowly nodding off one by one, as the boy waited for the opportune moment/

'_F... Found them._' He thought to himself, as he looked quite tired himself. '_They've been running for a whole damn day and a half, since noon yesterday! If I hadn't hitched a ride with those refugees, I would have lost sight of them. And not to mention that they are quite vigilant through the night. So why are they resting now? Doesn't matter._'

He slowly sneaked towards the group, eyeing Guts's massive blade, before then noticing that Richard's twin blades were lying in rest quite far from the wielder himself. He then moved towards them, with a devious grin on his lips.

'_So refined, and so swift..._' The boy thought to himself with interest, as he placed his hands over them. '_I'll bet these blades are one of a kind._'

As he made to lift his blade, he suddenly felt hands clasp around his wrists tightly, shocking him, as he came face to face with an unamused Richard, as he froze up.

"Trying to steal my blade? Boy, don't think that just because you're a kid, I'll spare you if you dared to attempt it." Richard remarked, before standing up, his full height menacing the boy greatly.

'_I... I'm dea-_' The boy thought, before Richard slapped the boy's hands off his blades, and sheathed. '_Eh?_'

"Ginger hair, sneaky attitude... You're the one that Puck told us about." Richard remarked. "You've chased us up to here. I'm impressed in all honesty, for such tenacity and determination is respectful if it comes from a kid like you."

"Well, thanks, I guess." The boy muttered, before he noticed that Meiling suddenly woke up as well, although she was very aware of the situation, slowly walking over. "She a light sleeper?"

"She doesn't sleep normally at all. When she sleeps, she is merely in meditation, fairly aware of the world around her at all times." Richard explained, before Meiling stopped beside him.

"What is your desire to come after us? Are you looking for someone to support you?" Meiling asked.

"Heh... Heheheheh..." The boy laughed, before he scoffed bitterly. "Y...Yeah, you wish! I ain't about to be under anyone."

"Who said that you need to be a subordinate in our group. Surely you haven't noticed Elma over there?" Richard stated, pointing towards the small demoness. "She's as much of a vital part of the team as all of us are, because she's the one who keeps us healthy and fit. So then, how about we do this: You help us out with whatever talents you have. Surely that your survival in this world alone for so long isn't mere luck, no? In exchange for that, I'll give you a proper sword to fight with, and I'll have one of us teach you how to fight. It's not subordination, because it's an equal exchange of terms. Sounds fair? I'll talk it over with Guts. He's the other leader of the group, besides me."

"...Fine." The boy responded back. "Name's Isidro. Don't you forget it and call me 'kid'. I hate anyone who thinks I'm some simple brat."

"Very well, welcome to our merry band, Isidro." Richard gleefully responded back.

"Before you get taught how to fight, have you ever killed someone, whether directly or indirectly?" Meiling asked.

"...One or two directly. Can't exactly say how many I indirectly ruined." Isidro answered back hesitatingly.

"Well, you're going to need to get used to your fair share of killing here. Because a lot of things die. People, bandits, monsters." Richard answered back. "Hope you're not squeamish, tend to get gory when we're on the attack."

"Monsters...?" Isidro asked.

"You'll see. Either way, you need a better blade. Having a sheath is good for having a blunt weapon, but you need an actual blade." Richard responded back, pulling out a small silver blade for Isidro, who caught it, and was amazed at how Richard summoned the weapon like nothing. "This is both durable and sharp, as well as the right size to wield it efficiently for you. Not to mention that it's enchanted with demon-slaying properties, although through minor enhancements, you'll do fine with this?"

"Yeah. It'll do." Isidro agreed, dazzled by the blade, before he then heard the sound of distant rumbling, which was sounding like that the source was heading towards them. "Huh!?"

"Hmph. Nowadays, demons also torment the day, as well as the night." Richard grumbled, before he then pulled out a battle horn. "Plug your ears, young Isidro. I blow quite loud."

The ginger-haired boy immediately complied, as the moment he did so, Richard let out a massive bellow from his horn, jolting everyone awake, as they grabbed their weapons and readied their stances for battle.

"So, we got incoming?" Guts asked, before then looking towards Isidro. "Who's the ginger midget?"

"Hey!" Isidro shouted, offended by the comment.

"Yes we do, and we'll talk later. Just know that he's Isidro, and he's with us for the rest of the way." Richard answered back, before the rumbling sound reached a volume where he was sure that the source was within sight. "And they're here already. Quite fast for a bunch of shambling spirits."

They all saw wagon wheels rolling speedily towards them, as they rotated too fast to show what was on them, as Isidro was surprised. "W-Wagon wheels...!? Moving on their own!?"

"This is new." Guts smirked, as he eyed the wagon wheels, as they came to a halt, revealing what was on them, which horrified some of the group.

On every single moving wagon wheel, there was decaying corpses on them, with their torn limbs tied to the spokes of their wheel, as the rotting heads turned towards the people, as Elma fought back the urge to scream in fear, as she saw the horrible sight before her.

"W-What are they...!?" Gus exclaimed.

"Son of a bitch..." One of them rasped in a curse.

"Damn you..." Another one screeched.

Isidro, in disbelief of what he was seeing, started to pinch himself hard, hoping to wake up from this, as if it was a nightmare, before Antonio bonked him with the hilt of his blade.

"OW!" Isidro exclaimed. "What was that for!?"

"You ain't dreaming, kid." Antonio answered back with a shake of his head. "Get used to it, because you're going to see things like this every passing night."

"What the hell is all this!?" Isidro demanded.

"Vengeful spirits, roaming and cursing the world as they go. They seem to want to curse anyone they find, regardless of their involvement with whatever caused their death or their vengeful desires." Richard explained. "So basically, undead army."

"More like hell's angels." Guts quipped.

The wagon-bound spirits gnashed their teeth at the group, hurling various curses towards them, before several of them darted towards the group, as Isidro turned to make a run for it. However, the front-line of the group destroyed the spirits with a single strike, obliterating both wheel and spirit.

"You might want to stay back on this one. These kind of spirits aren't your speed." Reimu warned Isidro. "You look as fresh as a recruit, and that'll get you torn apart by them, if you tried to fight. So leave the hard work to those who are experienced in it, alright?"

"Shit..." Isidro remarked, as he watched the others tear through the wheel-bound spirits with ease, with magic and strength flaunted amidst the chaos. He slowly backed away, right into Elma, who was working hard in blessing the group and healing them from afar.

As he bumped into her, it knocked Elma to the ground, as her staff clattered to her side, as well as Isidro falling on his bottom. When he turned around, he saw the downed demon girl, who was hurriedly trying to get up, before she turned to Isidro and bowed in apology.\

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to get in your way..." Elma apologized quickly.

'_She's cute...' _Isidro thought with a slight blush on his cheeks, as feverish thoughts ran through his head. '_And she looks like to be the same age as me... Geez, this girl is potent and beautiful at the same time. I got to get close to her, so that I might have a girl who might stick with me for the entire way._'

He then shook his head, before he then sighed. "Nah, it's not your fault. I was being clumsy there, bumping into you without looking." He returned the apology with a slightly guilty tone. "Look, I promise that I'll keep you safe. Just in case some of these creeps slip through. I might not be much, but it's the thought that counts, right?"

"Oh, really?" Elma asked. "Thank you..."

"Call me Sir Isidro." Isidro pridefully stated, puffing up his chest slightly. "I'll be your squire in shining armor in no time flat."

Elma was slightly touched by Isidro's devotion to her, as Isidro raised his sword, eyeing the entire fight from afar, and in front of Elma, who also helped him out by implanting several blessings to make him a better fighter. Puck watched with intrigue within Elma's clothes, as Isidro guarded Elma faithfully.

Suddenly one of the wagon spirits rolled around the group, as it rushed towards Elma and Isidro, as Isidro was slightly surprised by the ambush. However, he quickly regained his composure.

"I got a pretty lady behind me, who needs my protection. Like hell, I'm going to run!" Isidro exclaimed, before he then raised his blade. "Take this!"

He then swung down his blade, as his attack was enough to take out the spirit, cleaving through wood and flesh, thanks to the enchantments and blessings he had. He then sighed in relief, before he then looked around for more enemies.

However, that was the only ambush he had to deal with, as he was both relieved, in that he didn't have to fight much, and disappointed, in that he couldn't show-off to Elma and make her think more of him with his courage and determination.

After a while, the attack was repelled, as everyone was in relief, since there was no more enemies, as confirmed by both the response from the Brands, and Richard's sensing. They then converged together, as Isidro and Elma walked towards them.

"Alright, so that was the kid that Puck was telling us about, who was watching me, you and Judeau fight the Bakiraka back in that town?" Guts asked Richard.

"Yep. His name is Isidro. Don't know what good reason he's sticking with us for, but if he wants to join, he's in. After all, I see some value in him." Richard explained.

"And just so you know, I hate being called a kid." Isidro interjected.

"I see. Can he fight with that sword?" Link asked.

"Not quite, but I think that with some help from you and Corrin, he'll do well." Richard answered back. "Everyone, introduce yourselves to dear Isidro here. You too, Puck."

Puck then came out, as Isidro raised his finger to point at the elf. "Wait, you're that thing from before, who told me where to go! You're with them!?" He asked with surprise in his voice.

"Yep. And just so you know, if you want to get to Elma, you got to earn my approval. Don't think that cutting down a single spirit makes you worthy of being her boyfriend." Puck stated.

"Tch... I won't be worth it now, but you just wait." Isidro muttered to himself, before the introductions began.

Eventually, everyone introduced themselves, as Isidro memorized their names and personalities in his mind.

"Right, so you're all heading to some holy ground called Albion." Isidro asked, to which several members nodded in agreement. "To save another friend of yours called Casca. You guys are either the most daring or suicidal group that I ever heard of, intending to openly oppose the church if it will bring her back."

"You underestimate our determination to bring her back." Virion stated. "Such a sweet lady like her does not deserve to be left alone and longing for our company."

"Right... Anyway, I said I'm sticking with you all, so I am." Isidro responded back. "Pleased to meet you all. I'll earn my keep with you all, I assure you."

"We have spent enough time talking. We need to find Casca as quickly as possible." Judeau told the group.

"Right, let's move on." Guts agreed, before the group continued their journey.

As they continued on into the night, they encountered a figure that was familiar to Richard and Guts, as the others were shocked, some drawing their weapons, suspicious that the new arrival would have been an enemy, with the smoky mist obscuring the figure of the person in question. When the mist dissipated, it revealed the Skeletal Knight, which caused everyone to be stunned.

"One monster after another. Tonight's a monster bumper crop." Puck remarked.

"No... I don't sense the same malice and dark vengeance on him." Elma argued back.

"That's our old chum, right, Richard?" Guts asked the other black-haired swordsman.

"Indeed. I think this is a good time to introduce him to everyone here." Richard stated, as the Skeletal Knight trotted towards them.

"I thought that I'd get your attention. You and your companions seem to be in good health, Struggler and Rebel. I trust that the young demon sage that is amongst you is the reason for that." The Skeletal Knight stated, as his eyes fell onto Elma.

"Yes... It indeed is. Who are you?" Elma asked back.

"My name is not much importance. You may call me the Twilight Knight, as your companion, the Rebel calls me." The Skeletal Knight responded back, before noticing the drawn weapons from some of the members. "Lower your weapons, I am neither your enemy nor a threat."

"Just do as he asks. He's honest in his words." Richard added, as the others lowered their weapons.

"You two know him? I don't think that Guts would have many human friends, but of all things, a monster?" Puck asked, alternating between looking at Guts, looking at Richard, and looking at the Skeletal Knight. "That's not to say I discriminate against monsters. He may not look like it, but he's not much of a talker. Please be nice to him, and do the same with Richard. I'm Puck-"

"You shut up for a moment." Guts growled, covering the elf's mouth with a metallic finger.

"An elf, an interesting thing to have with you, Struggler." The Skeletal Knight stated, gazing at Puck, who stopped struggling to get Guts's finger off his mouth for a moment. "Hmm... Two years prior, and the ties that bind are still strong, amongst all of you."

"What do you mean?" Judeau asked, before he then saw Guts's expression crease significantly.

"He means that he's aware of our mission to save Casca." Richard explained. "But what are you doing here? Surely it is of dire matters, if you wish to speak to us as a whole."

"I have told you before. I am the foe of the inhuman... No, the inhuman from this world, in recognition of those in your group, who do not share the same qualities as those born here." The Skeletal Knight stated. "An apostle is known to be located where I'm headed, possibly the leader. Where they lie, is also the land that you seek."

"H... Hold up! What do you mean!? Not that...! Not that they're at the Tower of Conviction. Are you saying the God Hand are there as well!?" Guts exclaimed, as the group turned to him.

"God Hand... You mean those unholy demons back in that day under the eclipse...!?" Gunter exclaimed.

"They exist everywhere in this world. Any place negative human thoughts swirl in a large concentration. But at the same time, it can be said that as a huge body of thought, they cannot take flesh in this world. Thus they also exist nowhere." The Skeletal Knight responded back.

"Once again, you lost me." Guts growled.

"No, I understand what he means, Guts." Richard offered to explain. "What he means that the God Hand exist both everywhere and nowhere, is that their state of existence is determined by the environment they stand within. Next you'll tell me, Twilight Knight, is that given a large enough concentration of negative energy, it allows them to take form in the world, if only temporarily."

"Indeed it is so." The Skeletal Knight confirmed back. "Did you not see it too? The dream of the Shining Hawk? Likely every human in this world was witness to that same thing in their lucid dreams. It was a revelation, that someone who signifies the Hawk is going to appear in this world."

"The Hawk...? Don't tell me...!" Judeau exclaimed, as he paled in realisation of what the knight was talking about, while Guts was frozen where he stood.

"I ask you this. That girl who was with you all. Where is she now?" The Skeletal Knight asked, to which he was met by silence. "I see. Your silence answers it clearly. The power of God descends to Earth, and the concentration of that idea is called the 'Festival'. And that festival is essentially a divine work, it traces a phenomenon in the divine domain."

"Traces a phenomenon?" Guts asked back.

"The flocking sheep who've been led to the blood-spattered holy ground desire the 'Hawk of Light'. And you all, and that girl will come to throw yourselves into their midst. It nearly parallels that other time..."

"...The Eclipse." Richard darkly finished the sentence, as everyone was shocked at hearing those words. "It's an attempt to imitate it to the greatest degree."

Guts then became silent, as his eyes gazed emptily forward, as no-one could tell what he was feeling. However, Puck, who was close enough to sense his emanating emotions, could feel the strong torrents of emotion, ranging from sorrow, rage, confusion, insane glee, and denial. He then slowly raised his other arm to his face.

"So you mean... that this will happen... One more time...!?" Guts responded back, torn between ecstasy of slaying the countless apostles that may come, and unbridled rage from his burning vengeance.

"Indeed. But unlike you have done once before, Rebel. The course of this festival, will remain unchanged. That is, if you do not possess the knowledge and the means to perform such a heaven-defying act." The Skeletal Knight told him. "This world is as moonlight reflected on the water's surface. The moon's light will not be extinguished. So long as the moon exists in the sky. Moonlight will remain on the water, and this is a thing that which already was. What will follow now is a shadow, no more than a shadow cast high above the earth by light from a distant dying sun. The proof of this is our unexpected meeting. We already subsist within the current of casualty, as shadows in the water, however we exist beyond the physical realm."

Everyone was silent, as Richard's expression was one of deep understanding, while Guts was silently contemplating something, before he then scoffed loudly.

"Who cares about shadows? Casualty? We decided on the Tower of Conviction, and go there on our own feet. We weren't ordered. We chose." Guts argued back. "Besides, you forget that we don't give in at all, and instead bite back at those who try to lord over us with pre-determined fates. The names you gave us. Struggler and Rebel. That whole casualty bit is pretty shady anyway. That proud monster, Zodd, once predicted that we would face a death we couldn't escape, and you said that it would have been the same. But look at us, even through all the hell we been through, and what we did, every one of us is alive and kicking, with Judeau alongside us. Sure, you helped us out that time, but this time, we're going to do this by ourselves, by our own strength. I'm not the same man from two years ago. I've gotten a hell lot stronger, and even more clever at that, too."

"...Rebel?" The Skeletal Knight asked, after listening to Guts speak.

"...You forget that even in the Eclipse, I turned fate to our benefit." Richard responded back. "Had it not been for Antonio's timely rescue, Elma's healing, the support of the others, Judeau would have met his fated death, dying in the arms of his comrade Casca, and shattering her spirits. Not to mention that I managed to save Casca from being violated by her betrayer, ruining her mentally and physically. Yes, it's true you cannot remove the moonlight from a puddle of water. But you would be wrong to say that nothing can be changed. Even mere ripples can change the image that the moonlight have, and as inevitable as you cannot remove the light, you cannot prevent ripples that form from splashes formed by our hand. I have changed fate many times before, and I have told the God Hand, that if they try to wrench their casualty to their side, then they will pay dearly for their attempts. Hopefully, they will be smart enough to know a lost cause when they see one."

"It seems that you are aware of what you will do. You are both truly fishes that breach through the surface of the water, rippling it greatly with each leap." The Skeletal Knight answered back, as he turned away. "However, I will warn you all of one thing. Although she is of sound mind, if you are not careful, you will lose your friend once again. She must never be chained up again, and will remain by your side, through all trials and tribulations. Only then, will she be able to recover what she once lost. Until then, may we meet again at the holy ground where the blind sheep gather."

The skeleton knight disappeared through the horizon, through a burst of fog, as everyone watched him leave.

"I hope so as well..." Richard stated, before he turned around to come face to face with a distressed Judeau. "Judeau..."

"...Was all of it true? I could have died, had it not been for Antonio and Elma...?" Judeau asked with despair on his expression.

"Judeau, if you're going to talk about how I should have let you die, or that you want to bemoan about your miserable fate, know that it does not concern you. Ever since we came here, your fate has changed for the better. There is no need for you to concern yourself with dying anytime soon just because it is willed. Your fated time to die has long passed. Only way you'll die is peacefully in your sleep at old age, and we'll keep it that way." Richard sternly told him.

"...Jeez, shut down just like that." Judeau answered back, looking a lot more hopeful with Richard's words. "Well, thanks for the slap back to reality."

"No problem, just don't think about it too much. Think only about how we're going to save Casca." Richard answered back. "Either way, let's rest for the night. Meiling, keep watch for us, alright?"

"I understand." Meiling nodded, as everyone settled down for the night.

* * *

_At the refugee camp in Albion..._

Yuna entered Luca's tent, as the brown-haired girl was tightening the bandages around Casca's face. She had a grim expression on her face, while the other two noticed. Nina was in a nearby bed, as she was sleeping soundly.

"Yuna... Has things really reached this point...?" Luca asked with concern in her voice.

"Indeed... Our speedy gain in wealth is accruing suspicion amongst the other refugees. While most of them are grateful, some of them are harboring animosity and envy towards us. I do not know the reason for why the numbers of the latter group have increased so quickly because of our constant success... But if this keeps up... The worst case will come." Yuna stated. "A good deed does not go unpunished around these parts. Had this been anywhere else, almost everyone would be grateful that we're the reason everyone is more well-fed than they should be, and we would have no-one who would secretly speak ill behind our backs. This is truly revolting."

"And just because we were seen leaving the camp, and returning with a stripped Nina..." Luca responded back with a slightly fearful look in her eyes. "If this keeps up, the hunters will catch wind of these rumors, and we will most likely be... persecuted as heretics and tortured to death."

"Then what do we do?" Casca asked. "We don't have the proper supplies to mount an escape away from Albion, to any nearby towns. Even then, the Holy Iron Chain Knights would most definitely hunt us down, if we run by foot."

"We can only pray that there will be more time for us." Yuna stated. "I have made a prayer to God just last night. He has told me that if we persevere, then hope will most definitely arrive for those who remain faithful to God, not the false teachings that have been propagandized by the Holy See. They will not show mercy to anyone in here, not as long as Mozgus remains in power here."

Nina then slowly woke up, as she then saw the women talking amongst each other, as Luca turned to her.

"Luca...? I'm... I'm really sorry..." Nina cried, as tears ran down her eyes, as she rubbed them off. "I don't know what I was even doing... With everything that had happened... If anyone caught wind of this... We'll be caught... And then... Then what could happen...? I... I'm really... scared..."

"Calm down, Nina... I'm sure that these rumors will die down." Luca assured Nina, lying a little to help calm the blonde girl down.

"I can't! Even barring those rumors, if Joachim's body is found... then... then I'll be..." Nina quivered.

"Nina... I know what you been through. But the more we panic, the more the people will grow suspicious of us." Casca told Nina firmly. "We need to keep calm, and act like nothing has happened. You told us that Joachim fell into a chasm. It is very unlikely that they'll be able to find his body along it, and even then, there is nothing to truly connect you to the crime."

"But... But..." Nina whimpered, before Yuna placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Do not fret, Nina." Yuna answered back. "I'm sure that you'll be able to forgive yourself for what you have done, and make up for your mistake, by renouncing your participation in that barbaric religion. As long as we make sure that you aren't associated with them, you will have a proper alibi to prove that you are not responsible."

"But the hunters... They won't care if you are innocent or not... If you're seen guilty... the sentence... it will remain guilty until your death..." Nina spoke with utter terror in her voice.

The other women were eerily silent hearing those words, as the inevitable situation dampened their morale greatly.

"There is no time to brood about this." Yuna stated. "I'll personally distribute the next batch of supplies to the refugees."

Before she could get up, the other blonde-haired girl burst in, as she was frantically panting.

"Luca, Yuna, trouble!" The girl exclaimed.

"Lucie...!? What seems to be the matter?" Yuna quickly asked back.

"It's Pepe... She... The hunters... They grabbed her!" Lucie exclaimed, as everyone froze where they were.

As Nina and Casca remained frozen, Luca and Yuna shot out of the tent, as they followed the sounds of the commotion, as well as Pepe's distressed cries for help, as they found that Pepe was being dragged across the camp, her hands and wrists held in irons, dragged by a commander from the Iron Chain Knights, with a sizable escort with him, while the refugees allowed them to pass, watching the young girl plead.

"Nooo! Let me go! I haven't done anything!" Pepe screamed out loud.

"Shut up! There was an indictment! You can speak in your defence all you want at your trial!" One of the knights barked back.

"Look, she's from Luca's. You know, lately they've been oddly popular. Maybe some other prostitutes got jealous of them." One of the refugees murmured within the crowd.

"No, NO, NOOOO! Demon! Fiend! I'll be raped! I'll be killed! Oh God!" Pepe wailed.

"Pepe..." Fouquet stated, before she then saw that Luca and Yuna were pushing through the crowd with force.

"I swear... Commoners are all the same." The knight grumbled, lifting his visor, before pulling out a long whip, and lashing Pepe across the torso. "Be silent, gloomy wench!"

The knight then brutally thrashed Pepe over and over. "You rabble in delight in nothing more than smiling at others' misfortunes behind their backs, while looking down on anyone and everyone! When calamity befalls you, you alone possess pure hearts and clean hands. You act like children, believing yourself faultless! You call upon the name of the Lord without reflecting upon your own sin!" The knight spat. "Cowardly! Shameless! Despicable! You're no better than insects! Behold, evidence! A large crowd watches, and yet not one of them volunteers to aid you!"

Before the knight could whip Luca again, Yuna got in front of the whip's path, while Luca cradled the younger girl close to herself. The whip struck Yuna across the abdomen, as she flinched greatly.

"Yuna!" Pepe exclaimed.

"Urk... I'm fine, Pepe. A mere whip strike like this will not hurt me too much." Yuna assured Luca with a smile.

"Don't prattle on so proudly while you strike at someone from such a safe place." Luca told the knight with a bitter tone, causing the crowd to be in uproar, at Luca's defiant words.

"Oho, so there is one among with backbone." The knight smirked. "But don't you understand? If you defend her, you'll all be arrested."

"Even so. I REFUSE!" Yuna shouted in defiance. "You may strike me as many times as you wish, but you will not harm her again! Even if you decide to cut me down where I stand, I will not back down. Even if it brands me a heretic in the eyes of all present, I will not betray God's commandant, 'Thou shalt not betray thy friends'!."

"Hah. Then you will suffer the same fate as the wench!" The knight condemned Yuna.

"That's how it is. Whatever we say, you silence us with your threats. You rattle your swords, judging people from up in your tower. Everything you see is beneath you." Luca continued her defiant retort. "Have you mistaken yourselves for angels or something?"

"Is that all you have to say, girl...?" The knight responded back, as he was restraining his anger.

"She might have nothing more to say, but I will." Yuna stated, before raising an accusing finger to the knight. "You strike the innocent, under such a pretense. You call us insects merely because we are struggling to live. Yes, we may be insects, but we have a right to live and be treated fairly! Have you been so drunk in your own authority as a holy knight, that you have forgotten your own humility!? Have you forgotten that it is God's mission to save even the sinners, not condemn them!? You strike us with such sadistic glee, and yet you say that we're the impure!? It seems that you care not for God, only for your own pride! You think that you are free to do as you wish under God's name, and act like you're forgiven for what you have done! You would torture us, those who are in turmoil and suffering. You are no better than those who you persecute with your twisted views!"

The knight was silently brewing in rage, as his grip on the whip tightened, as it increased when seeing the defiant look in Yuna's eyes.

"But I guess that nothing I say will matter. You are already so indulgent in your own pride, that none of you would listen to reason or faith." Yuna stated. "If this is really how God's very men have turned out to be, within these walls... Then this is no holy ground, only a nest of corruption and false worship."

"BITCH!" The knight screamed, as he threw his whip at Yuna at full force.

"Yuna!" Luca cried, as the other girls did the same, including Pepe, who reached out for Yuna, who merely stood still, prepared to receive the blow.

However, the whip was cut in two, as the source was a large machete, wielded by a arm draped in dark red robes with long sleeves. Everyone turned to the source of the blade, who was Richard, who had his black hair tidied neatly, and dressed differently, with a long black robe, with a silver cape tied behind his back, and a white scarf that covered most of his neck, a chained silver pendant that bore the same symbol of the idol on it, and dual-wielding machetes. He also had small glasses in front of his eyes, as his appearance made him look like a authoritative judge.

Yuna looked at Richard, as she secretly smiled to herself, on the sight of Richard, while the others were shocked, as the crowd of refugees murmured amongst each other, as the whip-holding knight looked at his broken tool, before turning to Richard with a furious expression, as Richard's expression was completely cold.

"Who dares...!? Who are you, to interfere with the matters of the Holy Iron Chain Knights!?" The knight demanded.

"You are the Holy Iron Chain Knights. How truly unsightly. I see nothing holy about your actions." Richard spoke in a low and emotionless voice. "As for who I am... It will not matter much for you, but I shall grant you peace in knowing of it. I am Dark Inquisitor Richter, the Second of my Order, the Iscariot Order. Alternatively, I bear the title of 'Sacred Judge'."

"Dark Inquisitor? Sacred Judge...?" The knight mocked, before he then raised his blade. "Don't mock us! We're the only ones who represent God's will here! You who dares to speak as if you are of the same faith as him, are a undeniable heretic! We will seize you for your interference and your false proclamations."

"You truly are ignorant, if you will not respect the title of an inquisitor, albeit a Dark variant." Richard continued with a judgemental tone. "But then again, you are merely ignorant, and left in the dark. We of the Dark Inquisitors are never publicly announced as one of God's men, but we still remain so. Because we are not the ones who spread faith amongst the lands. No, we are never spoken or heard of, unless by those who are unfortunate to encounter us and lived to tell the tale. We are the Dark Inquisitors, the instruments of God's impartial wrath, never written in the annals of the churches, to purge the traitors and all falsehoods in the name of God, the very same one you claim to belong to."

"Shut up! Cease acting like you are one of His men!" The knight spat back. "We will have you burned at stake for your mockery!"

"And yet you give me such weak arguments." Richard retorts back bitterly, silencing the knight, before he then spread an arm out. "When I see the eyes of the refugees gathered in this holy ground, I see no faith within them. I only see fear and dissatisfaction within them. Even so, I sense that their lack of faith is not a result of their dissonance with the faith, but instead due to the cruelty and suffering done onto them. I have heard tales of what transpired here, men and women alike starved to death, all those who are condemned being killed either in dreadful loneliness or as a public display, all those who are within here, believing that they have been bound to a lesser hell of their own. And all of this... It points to the making of the one who is responsible for the rumours, being the main cause of them, the Holy See that you so loyally serve, I presume. Like I have told you, my mission is to purge traitors, those who use the Lord's name in vain, and those who manipulate his goodwill for their own gains. You are evidence right before my own eyes."

"You... YOU...!" The knight trembled with fury, before Richard turned around.

"Very well, then I will ask of those gathered here. Who will speak in the defence of what has transpired here. Who believes that the Holy Iron Chain Knights are without fault here?" Richard asked the entire crowd of refugees. "If there is enough to prove that the knights are on the side of justice, then I will withdraw my own accusation of heresy here and now."

The knights watched as the crowd didn't respond back at all, as they seemed relieved and proud, but yet, they felt a sense of dread building in them.

"Hah! None of them will speak in your defence!" The knight laughed bitterly. "It seems that you are the one who is against God here!"

"Am I?" Richard asked back, turning his head back. "The silence of the crowd answers the question itself. They will not speak, because they are too enraptured in fear to speak. Had I asked any other question, that is, if they have felt like they have found a life that they could faithfully declare to be fair. In fact, if God does truly revere silence, then this very moment of silence is proof that my question has been truthfully answered."

He then immediately crossed his machetes, as he glared right towards the knights. "But I do not care for the lesser men. Speak. Who is the pontiff? Who is the inquisitor that is responsible for taking care of the matters here? If they have allowed for such uncouth acts to occur, then they will answer to me, for their actions has led to the corruption festering in the roots of the church. And as per my role... I will PURGE. Tell me now, lest this becomes a confrontation that will not end in your favour."

"SCUM! GET HIM!" The knight screamed with anger, as the Holy Iron Chain Knights moved to surround Richard.

"...So it seems that you have no intention to speak then. Very well, if you wish to raise your blades against me, of the Iscariot Organisation... Then you raise your blades to God by proxy. For that transgression... Those of you who attack me... Will pay your lives in penance for your sins." Richard stated, before drawing his machetes.

Richard then attacked the knights, as his machetes cleaved through flesh, both horse and human, dancing through the men, cutting them to pieces with little effort. The refugee crowd were stunned, while Luca and Pepe watched as Richard tore through the knights, as if they were nothing. The knight themselves, were become more and more demoralised, as their numbers waned.

Isidro came out of the crowd, as he snatched the key from the knight that openly mocked Richard before, who was already dead, with a large gash through his neck. He then walked over to Pepe and Luca, with the key in his hands.

"Okay, ladies. Now's the time." He told them, as both of the females looked towards Isidro, who had a astonished expression on his face. "The way you and that other woman lit into that guy was so cool. I think I'm in lo-o-ove."

"Who's the monkey?" Luca pondered to herself, before Yuna came over.

"Well, I must thank you for helping us out." Yuna stated, as Isidro turned around, and was wowed at Yuna's natural beauty.

"Woah, glad to be respected already!" Isidro exclaimed, before he then shoved the key into Pepe's irons. "Alright, hold still, let me pop those chains off."

The irons then opened up, as the four of them rushed back into the crowd, just as Richard finished cutting down a sizeable portion of the knights, with the others too afraid to step forth and fight Richard as well.

"This is a holy ground...?" Richard remarked, his machetes still bloody. "Then the faithful has truly fallen into disgrace, if this is what is considered to be sacred."

"All those men. And not a single scratch..." One of the male refugees remarked.

"So easily with just those small blades..." Another one said.

"It ain't human...!" Yet another refugee stated.

"You're... You're kidding me..." Luca stated.

"Leave." Richard forcefully declared to the knights. "If you value your lives, you will disturb the refugees no longer. If I see a act like this again, I will undeniably purge the Holy Iron Chain Knights that you represent, from the very face of this earth in retribution. Am I UNDERSTOOD?"

The other knights trembled, as their captain was amongst the many knight causalities caused by Richard, before one of the knights was brave enough to cry for retreat, as the knights slowly trotted away, all while watching Richard with fearful eyes. After the knights have disappeared, Richard then shook most of the blood off his blade, before then turning to the refugees, who were torn between unholy fear, and absolute reverence at Richard's actions.

"It seems that if the knights will not speak, then it relies on me to parley with you refugees." Richard told them, his tone returning to a stoic one. "Tell me, who is the one that is responsible for this debacle. I have seen the countless corpses that have been hung on breaking wheels. Too many to be considered a proper heretic hunt. Tell me, whose judgement condemned these men and woman to a untimely death?"

None of the refugees spoke up, as they merely chatted quietly amongst each other. That is, until Yuna stepped forth.

"I can tell you. The one who is responsible for this is Inquisitor Mozgus. Bloody Scripture Mozgus." Yuna firmly told Richard. "He is the one who is leading the men here, and the one who holds the supreme authority over this holy ground. Perhaps he's the only one that you might be seeking."

"Did you say... Inquisitor Mozgus?" Richard asked, before his lips twisted in a cruel smirk. "Oh... I see now. It has become clear to me. I have kept an close eye onto him, for I have lingering doubts about his true nature. Now I see that there is definite evidence of his wanton massacres and heretical defiance to the Lord... Now that I have the proper motivations to commit to it, I finally can start purging him. Out of all of the inquisitors that I have come to know, he is the most bloody and corrupted. Oh Lord, forgive me, for I cannot help but cruelly relish the moment that I claim his head in Your name, for I will have done your Will a great service, purging this shrivelled and poisoned root amongst your churches..."

Richard's smirk then disappeared. "Very well. As thanks for your cooperation, I will ensure that you and all refugees present, will be cared for properly." Richard answered back. "Once I call upon the right favours, you will be given salvation as you have been promised, but instead of emptily using it as a tool of propaganda, as a lie to raise false hope, I will not disappoint, for the Lord will not abandon the weak and measly, nor the misunderstood and misguided. As the Sacred Judge of the Iscariot Order, I judge you all to be faithful to Him. Should anyone question that, they shall have to answer to me, and have a proper reason to question a just verdict like that."

"You honour us, Dark Inquisitor." Yuna responded back, with a deep bow with hand over heart.

"I shall take my leave. I will need time to prepare for my meeting with Inquisitor Mozgus." Richard told them, as he turned to leave. "Know this, regardless of what the false prophets that have been under the strings of the inquisitor will tell you, as long as you maintain your faith in God, through me and not the corrupt inquisitor, you will be saved. All you need is to utter the words, 'I shall serve the Lord with dedication and truth', and you will be protected by divine providence."

Richard then left the camp, as the refugees were left confused by what has happened, all with differing opinions of what Richard has told them, some outright denying of trying to believe in Richard, while others who are more trusting of faith, believed in Richard's words, and hoped that he would return. Neither of them were Luca's group and Yuna, who were closely embraced together.

"Pepe... You're alright..." Fouquet stated with tears from her eyes.

"Yes... I was saved... I was saved by someone... Thank God... Thank God..." Pepe cried out in relief.

"There, there... We're safe for now." Luca soothed the other two girls, as Lucie also joined in the embrace.

Yuna watched Richard leave, with a slight smile on his lips, while Isidro looked around everywhere, as if he was expecting something.

After a while, Richard went into the camp again, this time in his proper attire and equipment, as he made a beeline for Isidro.

"Hey, Isidro. Have you found Casca yet?" Richard asked Isidro, who immediately turned back to them.

"Not really, although I found this bunch of beauties." Isidro responded back, gesturing towards Luca and his group, as well as Yuna.

Richard and Yuna then met eyes, as Richard immediately stiffened up with wide eyes. while Yuna smiled knowingly.

"...Richard?" Isidro asked, before Richard turned to him.

"Isidro, get the others. I need a moment to talk with this woman here." Richard told him with a serious expression.

The ginger boy was surprised at the sudden change in tone from Richard, before he then moved away and did as he was asked. Richard approached Yuna.

"You there. I need to speak with you for a moment." Richard told Yuna.

"...If you wish. I have nothing to hide after all." Yuna smiled back, before she turned to Luca and the others, who were listening into the conversation. "Don't worry, I'll be back quite soon."

Richard and Yuna then walked away together, as they moved to a spot where they were sure that they wouldn't be eavesdropped on without them noticing, as Richard sighed deeply.

"I have to say... You really gave me a fair bit of a surprise there. Of all the people I was expecting, I didn't expect you that much, if not at all." Richard told Yuna. "Still, I think that I can easily deduce or at least theorise why you're here and how you managed to get here without any problems. Isn't that right, Yukari...?"

"My, my." Yuna stated with a pleased smile, as she summoned a familiar hand-fan into her hands. "I always expected you to come to this point of time. After all, I eavesdropped on your plan myself, and aided it fairly well, did I not? But that's not what surprises you the most, is it?"

"Yeah, you stuck your lot with Luca, just so that you could keep an eye on Casca for us. Got to thank you for that then." Richard answered back. "Although, speaking of more things, you have another purpose of being here right? That's why you literally used one of Ran's tails to catalyse a high-grade cloning spell, to place a 'shadow' of yourself here, as this person, right?"

"Indeed you are right." Yuna nodded. "I'm known as Yuna here, as the female priest with a past of prostitution. Luca and her group see quite much in me, and we've bonded quite well. I even aided them more than they needed, and thanks to the fact that Casca was not mentally broken, the cult of the Goddess of Flames are none the wiser of Casca's true identity. Although that won't be for long, as you might have figured out."

"...What do you mean?" Richard dryly asked back.

"Did you notice that Casca and Nina were absent?" Yuna asked back, to which Richard's eyes widened in realisation. "Yes, for Casca, this is her first trip to the cult, but it'll play out almost the same. Why? Because Slan knows that she's going to need to up her game, so she gave them a small prophecy to nudge them towards finding Casca. So more or less, the same things are going to happen."

"...You jammed my sensor back there didn't you?" Richard accused with a annoyed expression. "While I played the Dark Inquisitor, I sensed around for them, only to find that they're not around here. I thought that Nina and Casca were already gone, possibly due to the events already happening, or that they're just out to collect some water. I hoped for the latter."

"Speaking of that, you really take inspiration from a certain blonde priest. Need I say that with how you went for the machetes?" Yuna smirked, before she frowned. "But indeed, your hopes are in vain. I did this, because the best chance that you're going to get to Casca is inside the cult den. Considering that Casca is willing to listen to reason and cares about returning to you and Guts's side, she won't hop down just because she thinks there is something missing around here."

'That's a good thing. But that still leaves Mozgus." Richard stated, as his expression darkened. "Someone like him... He doesn't deserve to die in fanatic joy. For someone who has misused faith to kill and torture, as well as sow discord and despair, a simple death is a mercy to him. I will chip down his shields of fanatical faith, and leave him broken, as he watches his own beliefs be thrown out of the window, when I come in as the new and better inquisitor for the refugees and men here."

"Either way, you're going to need to pull off some divine miracles, if you're going to get these refugees to believe in you more than Mozgus." Yuna stated. "I'm willing to help you in that department, if you can't pull it off yourself. After all, going Old Testament on the 'heretics' and demons would prove to be a useful tactic, along with sharing the 'all-encompassing saviour'."

"Going to be hard painting myself as the latter, with how I portrayed myself. But I can prove to make it work regardless." Richard stated. "Either way, just don't fuck up anything too bad. We still have a while to go, before we reach the end of all of this. If I were to make an estimate to when my mission here ends... I'd say it would be when Ganishka kicks the bucket in mist form. That's a fairly strong ending point for the arc it is involved in."

"Oh trust me, I know better to make things hard for you. Although..." Yuna stated, before she smirked again, flipping her fan over her mouth. "No promises~"

"Yeah, you definitely have a lot of Yukari rubbing off onto you." Richard sighed with a smile. "Anyway, we got to part, before the people on our sides get suspicious."

The two of them immediately returned, as Richard and Yuna returned to their respective places, with Richard noticing that Guts and the other have arrived, as they were waiting for him.

"Hey, I got good news and bad news." Richard told everyone.

"Tell us the good news first, please." Link stated.

"Good news, Casca's been doing well so far. She's still fit, and there is nothing wrong with her mind, just only missing all of us a bit." Richard explained. "But the bad news is that... She's not going to stay that way for a long time. Some cult nicked her, calling her some sort of revered figure or something. I don't know what they'll do with her, but it ain't going to be mere prostrations and prayers."

"Where is she then!?" Guts roared out aloud, frightening the nearby refugees.

"Don't worry, I was given the directions to their hideout. She's most likely there." Richard assured Guts. "So let's hurry. The more time we waste dawdling, the more likely that things will get worse with her."

Everyone agreed, as everyone rode for the cult's hideout, with Richard and Guts leading them.

* * *

_In the cult's hideout in a deep cave..._

Casca slowly woke up, as she found herself seating in a large wooden chair, which was being hefted up like a throne, by several men below her, all of them completely naked, which caused her to react strongly. She also felt the crown of thorns on her head prickling her scalp, as she wished to remove it, although she was afraid that she might hurt herself badly by trying.

However, her main concern wasn't her safety, but Nina's, as she looked around for her, although she couldn't even see a lock of hair amongst the sea of naked cultists.

'_Where is she...?' _Casca thought, as her own fears were growing. '_I don't know what has happened, but Nina could possibly be in danger. But what is going on here...?_'

"Everyone! Tonight is a holy night to be remembered!" A elderly priest declared, dressed in tattered robes, holding a large wooden staff with a black crow tied to it, spread-eagled, in one of his hands. "As all of you know, the stone pillar deified in the Tower of Conviction is no longer potent nor significant! It has no power to manifest even a single mystery! The tower instead been reduced to a vile lodge of swine who use sophistry in an attempt to oppress and control us! But we are aware! Aware of the one truly deserving of reverence! The one possessing power!"

The elderly priest then pointed towards Casca. "Tonight, the harbinger of the promised day, the holy symbol denoted by our master in our visions, our sorceress! The Black Witch!" The priest fanatically cried, as the cultists cried in unison in both joy and reverence. "She is evidence of our belief! A miracle in and of herself! And on this auspicious night... one of our faithful shall be granted an honour greater than she deserves."

Casca turned around, as she saw in horror, that Nina was being dragged along by several muscular cultist men, as she screamed and struggled. Casca felt fear swelling up in her heart, as she could do nothing but watch as Nina was dragged towards the priest, who laid his eyes upon her with insane glee.

"Rejoice, daughter Nina! By this great task, you will expiate your crime of trying to steal her away for yourself." The priest stated. "We shall now cut out her heart! It shall be an offering to the witch! And after, the witch... shall mingle with our great goat and become a true member of our family."

The cultists chanted, as Nina was laid down on the ground, while a cultist pulled out a ceremonial dagger, and licked it, before walking over to Nina. At the same time, Casca watched a tall man, who wore a goat's head over his neck and head like a hood, with horns, eyes and face. Casca's panic peaked at this moment, as she spoke.

"STOP!" Casca shouted, as the cultists stopped moving, and looked towards her. "Stop this! I don't want her heart!"

"What is the matter, our great witch?" The priest asked back. "If you wish so, we will offer all of our hearts to you, if it will please you. But she might be the first, for she has sinned against you, and must be punished."

"I'm not your witch! I refuse to be a part of your twisted family!" Casca screamed. "I refuse to be raped by your insane representative! Release me now! RELEASE ME!"

"...It seems that our witch is a little delirious after everything that she has been through." The priest sighed dejectedly. "Men, restrain her. Hopefully, the offering will be enough to restore her state of mind. She'll see the truth soon enough."

More men moved over to Casca, as they pushed her down into her chair, as they pinned her arms and legs to the chair, as she tried to struggle, although she was not strong enough to handle the strong men who held her down. She could only watch, as the proceedings continued, as the dagger-wielding cultist lowered his knife towards Nina's chest.

"No... No, you can't..." Nina pleaded.

The cultist wasn't listening, as he raised the dagger to stab the blade in, as Casca instinctively closed her eyes, as she didn't want to see what was going to occur next.

However, what she heard, was not the sound of a dagger piercing flesh, but instead a flurry of footsteps and jingling metal, before they were followed by the sounds of battles, consisting of the crazed cries of the cultists, and the sounds of metal piercing and slicing through flesh.

"Great Priest!" One of the cultists cried, as he rushed towards the priest. "The lapdogs of the tower have come to slaughter us!"

"Damn them all! Men, prepare to fight for our witch! I will guide the great Goat to escape!" The priest declared.

The cultists immediately obeyed, as they rushed towards the battle, as Casca could see that the Holy Iron Chain Knights were slowly advancing through the large swarms of cultists that were trying to stop them bare-handed and naked. She did not hesitate to get off her chair, which was quickly abandoned, as she ran over to Nina.

"Nina! Are you alright!?" Casca asked Nina frantically, helping the blonde naked girl up.

"Elaine... Thank you... Let's get out of here quickly..." Nina stated. "We can get past the knights. They cannot lump us with the cultists, if we're clothed."

"But what about you, you're naked as well..." Casca remarked, as she then noticed that Nina's dress was nearby. "There! Your clothes are over there. Get them on, and let's move!"

"R-right..." Nina nervously responded back, as she got over to her clothes and slipped them on, before the two of them rushed through the knights, jumping above a mound of rock to get past the cultists.

However, their escape was cut short, when the same goat-headed man before appeared, this time looking more monstrous, as his body was more like a bipedal satyr with long human-like arms and hands. His member was converted into a large slithering snake, that seemed to have a mind of its own, slithering around the crotch of the goat monster. It tore through some of the knights brutally, causing the knights to flee. As they did so, Nina and Casca were seperated in the turmoil, as Casca was tripped over, and left behind, as the frenzied cultists and the goat monster slowly approached her. The monstrous cultists surrounded her, cutting off her escape.

"Elaine!" Nina shouted with horror, as she was dragged along by the retreating knights.

"A-Aaah..." Casca muttered, as she was horrified by the insane cultists surrounding her, before she turned around, and saw the goat-monster bend its head down, and lick her neck with its long tongue, which felt slimy and rough.

"Witch... Mingle with... Become family..." The monster growled in a deep voice, before it then grabbed Casca by the arms, hoisting her up.

The snake-like member began to move, as it slithered under Casca's clothes, rubbing against her own clit, as she moaned in pleasure from the motion, before it then slithered up to the breasts to do the same thing. It then moved right through the collar of her dress, as she found that it was staring directly at her.

"S-Stop... Please... No..." Casca whimpered, as the memories of being sexually assaulted by Femto in the Eclipse resurfaced, causing her to feel a deep sense of dread.

The snake member slowly slithered towards her mouth, intending to intrude through her throat in order to invade her entire body.

However, before the monster could do so, a large blade struck down right through it, cutting its left arm off, as well as bisecting the slithering snake member, causing it to go limp. Through the spray of blood, Casca could see Guts charging past her, as Richard did the same from the other side.

"Guts...? Richard...?" Casca muttered, with hope and relief in her expression.

Richard and Guts cut down the rabid cultists that charged at them on their fours, creating a massive swirl of blood that sprayed everyone. As soon as the cultists have been slaughtered, both of them lowered their blades and turned to Casca.

"Hey." Guts stated with a smile.

"Long time no see, Casca. You been doing well in our absence? Sorry for taking so long to get back to you. But this time, we're going to do this together." Richard told Casca with a warm smile of his own.

"Aah... Guts... Richard... It's really... the two of you..." Casca stated, as her voice trembled, and tears of relief ran down her eyes.

Judeau then took this moment to grab Casca, pulling her close in his embrace.

"There, there, Casca... We're all here now. You don't have to be afraid anymore." Judeau assured her, as the former officer cried in the chest of her comrade.

"We don't have any more reason to stay around here." Richard told everyone, as the rest of the group muscled past the knights. "Watch after Casca."

"Got it." Antonio stated.

"Wait! Take Nina as well! She deserves to be saved too!" Casca pleaded, as Nina looked towards the one who pleaded for her safety.

Nina was touched, as she tried not to cry and whimper, before she was taken by Meiling, who held her close.

"Stay with me, Nina." Meiling told the blonde girl. "I will ensure your safety."

"Thank you..." Nina quietly thanked Meiling.

"Alright, we're getting out of here." Guts stated.

"By the way, I found a back door out of here." Isidro whispered to Guts. "You owe me for this."

The group then made their way towards the back-door, as Farnese, with Serpico and Azan, watched them move.

"I-in any case, they seems to be opposing the heretics..." A knight told her with a hesitant tone.

"That doesn't exactly mean they're our allies. Did you forget!?" Another knight shouted back.

"But you saw that swordplay, right!? It was like a whirlwind, nothing like before!" Yet another knight stated.

"Shall we capture him too, then?" The first knight stated.

"...There isn't any need." Farnese muttered, before then raising her blade. "This has already become all-out combat! Kill all who do not submit and surrender!"

"But Lady Farnese...!" A knight pleaded.

"Silence! Standing here will only lead to increased casualties! Have you forgotten? These are heretics! We mustn't quail before those who oppose our god!" Farnese shouted. "Everyone advance! Annihilate them!"

As the group moved away, they watched as the knights and possessed cultists clash against each other. Judeau, holding Casca in his arms, shot a few throwing knives to take them out, as they proceeded along the path.

"No! Don't let them escape!" Farnese shouted.

"Lady Farnese!" Serpico exclaimed, before skewering the head of a cultist that tried to attack Farnese, before he then returns to the fight with the cultists.

Suddenly, Guts was ambushed by the goat monster, who noticed that the group were moving Casca out of the hideout, leaping towards him, as Guts quickly used his blade to block the horns that were aimed to gore him.

"Won't give. Witch... Mingle with-" The goat monster shouted, before Reimu then immediately threw forth a handful of ofuda that flew forward, landing on the ground, and forming a hexagonal formation around the monster.

"Sorry, but you're DENIED." Reimu coldly stated, before she then pulled out a spell-card. "Declare Spell Card: Divine Arts 'Omnidirectional Dragon-Slaying Circle'."

The ofuda immediately lit up with golden light, before they exploded into a massive hexagonal field of golden energy, that engulfed the goat monster, as it screamed out in a mix between agony and fury, as its body was vaporised by the blast of energy. As soon as the energy blast died down, there was no more traces of it anywhere.

"Come on, we need to get a move on." Richard stated, before they left the cave, as they found themselves in a small cliff-side passage that they followed along.

"Be careful where you step here." Gunter warned the others. "One misstep and the fall will kill you."

The others took the advice to heart, moving cautiously. Behind the turn around the passage, Serpico was hiding from them, as he slowly inched away with each step they made towards him.

'_Too many people... Even if I tried to attack them now... I'm sure that it won't end well for me._' Serpico though, as he made a hasty retreat.

The group managed to make their way towards the end of the passage, where they had a clear path down onto proper ground, although there was no proper path down.

"Wait, how are we going to get down!?" Isidro exclaimed. "Were those thick-headed cultists going to jump down into deliverance!?"

"Not quite." Velouria replied back, as she tugged at a long piece of rope that was tied to a metal loop embedded on the cliff-side. "It seems that we can rappel down with this."

"With this many people!? How long is that going to take!?" Isidro complained.

"Not everyone needs the rope to rappel down." Richard stated. "Come on, we'll float down."

'Float?" Isidro remarked, before those who were capable of flight jumped off the path, as they slowly moved down onto the ground, "Wha!?"

"Get used to it, he's not a ordinary guy like you and me." Guts grunted.

Meiling then grabbed Nina, who was surprised, before Velouria hefted Casca over her shoulders.

"What are you doing!?" Casca demanded.

"Hold still, Casca. I can bound down this cliff safely. Just dpn't wriggle around." Velouria told Casca, before she then turned to Meiling. "Ready?"

Meiling nodded, before the both of them hopped down from ledge to ledge, as the carried women were frightened, and they remained like that for a moment, even after landing safely down, where Meiling and Velouria lowered their respective passengers down on the ground.

"God... I could feel my heart beating on my own rib-cage..." Nina shivered.

"Never have I felt such a dangerous thrill like that..." Casca added.

"Right, that leaves the others. Come on, line up and go down!" Richard called out to the others, including Guts, Isidro, Gunter, Virion, Corrin and Link.

They each came down slowly, one after another, as they quickly gathered up, and quickly fled when everyone was down on the ground.

As they did, Richard noticed a figure approaching them, as he quickly erected a ice barrier to block the figure's path, halting them in their tracks. And as he left, he noticed a small signature of demonic energy, which piqued his interest for a moment, before it then slunk away from his sensor range.

* * *

_Back at the refugee camp..._

Everyone gathered inside Luca's tent, as she and the girls were embracing Nina tightly, as they heard of what had happened to them.

"Luca... I'm sorry... I let Elaine suffer like this..." Nina sniffled back.

"All that matters is that you're both fine." Luca comforted Nina, glancing at Casca. "I'm truly grateful that all of you are unharmed."

"So I see... We owe quite the debt to them." Yuna stated, looking up at Guts and Richard. "What do you wish for from us, in return as our gratitude."

"Flee this land." Richard sternly told them. "It is no longer safe to stay within this 'holy ground'. If these threats exist, then no-one will be safe here. You would be best making for a town where you will be recognized as proper townsfolk."

"But we can't...!" Fouquet complained back. "Even if we have the supplies for it, if we go by foot, we'll be hunted down and killed!"

"By what Isidro has told me... You don't have much of a choice. You'll die if you remain here. May as well take your chances." Richard answered back, before reaching inside his pocket. "But I do have something of help, if you trust my assistance."

"What is it...?" Lucie asked, before she saw Richard pull out a paper tailsman inscribed with purple ink. "A paper charm...?"

"Not just a paper charm, but one that can consume and utilize magic, true magic." Richard explained. "When you are far enough, so that you will not be disturbed, hold this charm close to your chest, and huddle close. After that, close your eyes and wish for a town where you believe you will be safe in. The charm will whisk you all to the town, and burn up into ashes afterwards. I've also ensured to add some wealth in your hands, so that you will have enough to gain citizenship and live proper lives."

"...Thank you very much." Luca thanked Richard gratefully. "So I guess that this is farewell then, Elaine... No, Casca...?"

"Indeed it is. I've been looking for so long for these friends of mine." Casca answered back. "Now that I am reunited with them... I will stay close to their sides for the rest of the days. Still, I will not forget what you all have done for me back then. You helped me survive, and you eased my loneliness while I waited for my friends. You deserve a better life than all of this."

"We return your gratitude, Casca." Yuna stated with a warm smile. "Now go, you're free now."

The group then left their tents, as Casca immediately collapsed onto Guts, embracing him tightly,

"You're finally back... You stupid idiot..." Casca told them, as she pounded her fists against Guts's armor. "I can't believe that I have become worried sick about you all, so much that I went off on my own, just to find you all. I'm so ashamed for not believing that you would return eventually. But I'm finally back... And you're all here... Oh, thank God..."

"We won't leave you like this again, Casca. You have all of our words this time." Richard promised. "I'll make sure that you will be able to stand up against the threats we have faced, and fight like the brave officer that you have been all those years ago."

"Right, so... What do we do now...?" Guts asked Richard.

"Simple, we finish what we have started." Richard answered back, as he pulled out the inquisitor glasses from a sukima. "We take out Inquisitor Mozgus, once and for all."

"What...? But there's no more reason to be involved in all of this!" Gus exclaimed.

"Of course there is. As long as he stands and breathes, we will know no peace, for he will chase us more fanatically than the Holy Iron Chain Knights have done before." Richard argued back. "By doing so, he will pile corpse after corpse along his warpath, creating massive spots of negative emotion, like despair and hatred towards the unfaithful inquisitor. And that means more Apostles, which is bad for the entire world in general. Besides, the reason this place and all of the places he has been, became so fucked up, is mainly due to his adverse beliefs. He must be eradicated, for he is a bane to humanity's survival itself."

Gus was silent, as the others seemed to understand the reasoning behind Richard's words.

"Before I leave and return in my Dark Inquisitor alias..." Richard told Casca, before he pulled out a slender silver blade that was suitable for her. "Like I have done with Isidro, I will give you a blade to face against your enemies. This blade is far more stronger than what you have used before, and it will strike through both the physical and ethereal like a proper blade."

"...I see... Thank you for the gift." Casca thanked Richard, as she swung the blade a few times to test its weight and swing, before he sheathed it in her waist sheathe.

"It is merely in your best interests and survival. I will not let you fight without a blade to rely upon." Richard answered back. "And when I return, all of you must pretend that you are of no affiliation with me, or my identity will be likely leaked. If I can uphold my stern judge alias long enough, perhaps I can turn the fate of this festival, and save a few more innocent lives."

"So pretend that we don't know you. Got that. Think of it like working for the same goal, right?" Antonio asked back.

"Correct. Take your time to prepare. We will start the raid when night falls." Richard told them.

The group started their preparations, as Richard pulled out the idol pendant he wore in his other identity, staring at it.

"Mozgus... By faith, you have sinned and murdered, and so by karma, it will be by faith that you will be rightfully slain." Richard muttered to himself ominously.


	15. Chapter 14

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 14: The Fall of Bloody Scripture Mozgus

* * *

_Near the Tower of Conviction..._

Guts and his group gathered nearby, as Richard was with them, having dressed himself back into his Dark Inquisitor attire.

"Right... So we're ready to go now." Richard told everyone, looking at the tower. "It's not going to be an easy task to get to Mozgus. But if we can do it... We're saving ourselves a lot of trouble."

"So, what's the plan?" Gus asked Richard.

"I'll take the direct route. You guys find another way in, while I tear through the front door of the forces." Richard responded back, before he then swiped some blood off his back, where the Brand was. "And do be careful, the Brands are reacting up. Demons are present in the tower, so don't let your guard down for a single moment."

"Leave it up to him to be the one doing the carnage..." Guts scoffed. "Fine, but you better not get yourself killed."

"Please, I'm far more skilled and stronger than the likes of what the tower could throw at me." Richard smirked back. "Now, move on, we're going to take down an inquisitor."

Gus nodded, as he led Guts and the others through the stony path on their side, where they could possibly find a back-door to the tower itself. Richard continued on forward, before he was right before the large gates of the tower, as he raised his head.

"Open these doors immediately! By the order of the Iscariot Order, I, Dark Inquisitor Richter, has inquiries for your inquisitor Mozgus!" Richard bellowed with authority. "If you interfere with the course of my duty, you will all be branded as heretics for obstruction of duty, and will be summarily slain by my own judgement!"

The gates slowly opened, before Richard came face to face with a large group of disciples, who had their weapons raised at Richard, as he looked fairly unamused at the reception.

"...What is the meaning of this treachery? Had I not stated my intentions clearly?" Richard coldly stated. "You have seen the fate of those who have opposed my will. If you do not wish to join the fate of those impure filth... I suggest you disperse immediately. I have no time to deal with mere trivialities like this."

"Seize him! It is under Inquisitor Mozgus's orders! He must be captured and taken to be tortured!" One of the leading disciples cried. "If we can take down this false inquisitor, then we will be able to earn God's favour by refining his order of inquisitors?"

"...So it is treason then." Richard responded back softly, before he then drew his machetes. "Very well then, so be it. If you wish to follow that traitor to the holy faith, then you shall share the same verdict. Scream for God to show you mercy, for I...? I shall have NONE."

Richard then charged forth, rushing towards the disciples, as he started his slaughter of them.

Meanwhile, Guts and the rest of the group managed to reach the back-door of the tower, although the great wooden gates were sealed shut from the other side.

"Tch... It's blocked." Guts cursed.

"Leave it to me! I'll get it open from the inside!" Isidro stated, as he hopped onto a ledge, before slowly making his way over the castle gates.

"..Looks like we'll have to wait for a moment." Link stated, before he then noticed the accursed spirits gathering around them. "No... we have to hold out for the time being."

"Those... Those things...!" Casca exclaimed, as she paled slightly. "I met them several times while I ventured through the land. It was by miracle that I was able to fend them off myself, although my blade could not dispel them... Have they come to chase me once again...!?"

"They'll chase us until we're devoured by them." Guts explained, before he pulled out his blade. "Good thing that I'm strong enough to take care of them myself if needed. And the others can fight the same."

"Don't be afraid, Casca. Even these demons can be hurt and bleed the same as the humans." Judeau assured Casca, before pulling out his sword. "We're going to make it through this together."

"Guts... Judeau..." Casca muttered, before she then drew the blade that Richard gave her. "No, it's time for me to stop hiding behind the both of you, and everyone. I am Casca, second-in-command of the former Band of the Hawk! I refuse to let myself waste away into someone useless! I will fight as well, so that you won't have to protect me once more!"

Casca then attacked the spirits in front of her, displaying her swordsmanship, that hasn't deteriorated much, due to the fact that she trained herself in her spare time back in Godo's mountain, cutting down spirit after spirit with finesse. Judeau was impressed by Casca's skill, as he could swear that he could have seen Casca in the time she was a Hawk officer.

"Oi, Judeau! Quit daydreaming and fight as well!" Guts shouted, smacking Judeau on the back of the head firmly, to snap him out of his thoughts.

Judeau quickly returned back to reality, as he immediately helped the others out, by throwing a spread of enchanted knives that struck the heads of the spirits, eradicating them in one shot, helping Casca out, who felt grateful for the assistance.

After a few moments of fighting off the tide of accursed spirits, the wooden gates swung open, with Isidro behind them.

"Come on, get inside!" Isidro shouted to the others.

The rest of the group followed his instructions, as they rushed inside, while Guts and Meiling quickly slammed the gates shut, while Gunter slid the wooden slab to keep the gates shut.

"Right, so if I was a inquisitor... I would be lying around in the church." Isidro theorised.

"A fair deduction. But where is the church?" Corrin agreed.

"If I were to guess with all this obnoxious energy floating around here..." Reimu stated, before pointing up. "It's high up in the tower, it seems."

They then heard the distant cries of the church disciples, coupled with the roars of Richard, as they had a good idea what was happening on his side of things.

"Seems like he's still going strong." Judeau remarked. "Jeez... He's even more of a monster than Guts was."

They then heard the sound of people approaching, as the group quickly hid themselves behind the walls, as Guts peeked over the edge, to see who it was. When he did, he saw that one of the doors in the corridors creaked open, as a series of people consisting of Holy Iron Chain Knights and church disciples rushed out, as they were led by Farnese, Serpico and Azan.

"What in the world is happening!?" One of the spooked disciples stated. "Suddenly, the torture room was filled with those... those things...!"

"Vice-Commander." Serpico stated. "We need to find a place away from these monstrosities. They don't seem like that they will stop at all."

Guts kept an eye on Farnese, who was looking around nervously, as he stuck to the shadows, approaching Farnese.

"Anyway, to higher ground! I will explain afterwards!" Serpico stated, just as Guts grabbed Farnese out of the crowd. After a while, Serpico looked back, as he found out that Farnese was gone.

Guts held Farnese tightly by the mouth, as the blonde leader of the knights struggled against her grip, as he slowly retreated back to where the rest of the group were, before he then slammed her against a stone statue roughly. Farnese recovered quickly, as she caught sight of everyone here.

"Y-You... And all of you others...!? Why are you here!?" Farnese demanded.

"...We have matters to settle with Inquisitor Mozgus." Gus told her firmly. "Where is he?"

"I will never tell you heretics anything! I'll scream-" Farnese threatened, before he then pulled out his dagger, as he shoved the tip into Farnese's open mouth, pressing against the top of her mouth.

"Try that, and I'll cut your head open." Guts snarled back. "Answer, now-"

Guts suddenly heard the sound of an arrow being nocked, as he turned around, and came into the sight of Virion pointing his bow at him, with arrow drawn back, and a serious expression.

"Put that dagger down, Guts." Virion told Guts forcefully. "There is no need to threaten her like that."

"...Well, you got a better idea, archer boy?" Guts growled back.

"Maybe not, but threatening a lady like that is unfitting for even you." Virion answered back. "We can persuade her to tell us. Just put the dagger down."

Guts remained silent for a moment, before he withdrew the dagger. "If she causes problems, it's on your head."Guts darkly responded back.

"Let me talk with her." Corrin stated, before she then approached Farnese. "You don't understand. From what we have heard, Inquisitor Mozgus has caused a lot of strife on this land. He had killed countless innocent people, and misused his power to raise the position of the noble at the expense of the common-folk. We promise that we will try to speak with him first, so that we can reach an understanding."

"...Don't worry about Guts. We'll stop him if he tries to cut your inquisitor down." Reimu added.

"...The inquisitor done nothing wrong. He may have tortured many people to death, but they are all heretics... They don't have the right to be treated fairly, for they committed grave sins against God." Farnese replied back hesitantly. "Even so, he is more faithful to God than any of us."

"Psh... Like I'll believe that bull-shit." Reimu scoffed. "Look, if he's so devout to this god, then are you even aware of what God you're even serving then? Do you even know if God cares for anyone on this wretched land? If he's so benevolent, why do demons exist? Why do people die through war and slaughter? If this is really what God is capable of, then we're literally doing God's job for Him. In fact, even if he was just powerless, and needed the power of his prophets and church to do it, then we're far better candidates than this Mozgus. We've been purging demons left and right, and we've saved more people than your so-called crusaders could do."

Farnese was left silent, as she didn't know how to respond back, as she felt like a child being scolded by a harsh parent by Reimu's biting words, as she couldn't find it in her to argue back, as if she knew that Reimu was right, deep inside her own heart. After a moment of silence, she then relented with the answer.

"...He's heading to the chapel. I do not know what he might do there, but I know for sure where the chapel is." Farnese confessed.

"...Is there any other way to reach the chapel without being spotted by your men?" Gus asked. "We do wish to fight as little as we can, because some of us will most definitely kill those who we fight against."

"...Fine. Follow me." Farnese stated. "But I want your words that you will not harm me, because you require me to take you to the right path."

"Fine then, but you betray us, and I'll slice your throat open." Velouria threatened back, raising her sharp claws. "And I ain't kidding, nothing is going to save you if you tick me off."

The group made their way up, as Farnese led them, pondering to herself what she should do after she has kept her end of the bargain.

She knew that the Black Swordsman and his companions were too many in number, and too strong to resist against, and she knew that if she tried to mislead them, that silver-haired girl with the red robe would make true to her promise. However, then she thought about something.

'_Where is the Twin-Bladed Reaper?_' She thought to herself.

* * *

_Back on Richard's side..._

Richard was ascending the tower floor by floor, as he cut through the disciples and knights that got in his way. However, after he managed to make partway up the tower, he felt the Brand on his back act up, indicating that there were demons nearby. He then watched as the next batch of disciples that were trying to attack him, be ambushed by a bunch of blood-coloured and viscous slime-like creatures, as they crashed through the wall with brute force, before jumping onto the disciples, as they swallowed them up through their membranes, before the devoured disciples were melted away into nothing but bones. He then saw the blood slimes turn their attention to him.

"Slimes, huh..." Richard remarked to himself. "Well then, looks like I'm going to have to switch up tactics then."

He then coated both of his hands with frosty ice magic, before he fired bolt after bolt of ice magic into the swarm of slimes, as the frost froze them solid, unable to revert back into their liquid forms in time. With a punch and kick, Richard shattered the frozen slimes, as they did not reform at all.

"Not much of a challenge, aren't they..." Richard stated, before he heard another wall come down behind him, as another batch of blood slimes rushed towards him. "But they are fairly numerous, because of the countless deaths that have resulted in these cursed grounds... Looks like I'm going to be busy for a while."

* * *

_Back with Guts and Gus..._

The rest of the group ascended the stairs, as they spiralled around, while Reimu and Elma were using their magic to repel the swarm of blood slimes that were chasing after them.

"Just our luck... We've got the demons on us already." Reimu cursed, as she threw a few ofuda into the darkness below, as it lit up with blue light, followed by the guttural moans of the slimes.

"Those things... They shouldn't exist... They shouldn't exist..." Farnese frantically muttered like a mantra, as her expression was in utter fear.

"Oi, you said you're taking us to the chapel, so get us there!" Guts shouted back.

They then rushed through the nearest door they could find, as they slammed it shut behind them, while Farnese took a moment to calm herself.

"The chapel... is just up those stairs..." Farnese huffed, as she shakily pointed at the staircase in front of them.

"...Thank you." Corrin thanked Farnese.

The group then made their way up, before the staircase in front of them was blocked by a large gathering of blood slimes, oozing out the door ahead of them. They then heard the sound of the door behind them being broken down, as another group of blood slimes rushed in behind them.

"We're surrounded...!" Antonio exclaimed.

"Everyone circle up!" Link ordered, as the group circled around the less combat-capable members of their group. "We have to fight our way through!"

"God... God... God..." The slimes gurgled out words for the first time before the ears of the group, as Farnese was shocked by these words.

"Damn you... Goddd... Damn youuu..." Another group of slimes slurred.

As the group readied for battle, Gus began to sense magical fire coming their way, as well as see the front group of blood slimes begin to boil up from some sort of heat.

"EVERYONE DOWN ON THE GROUND!" Gus warned everyone, as the blood slimes in front exploded apart in blood, with a large beam of fire heading towards the group.

Judeau tackled Casca down, as the brown-haired swordswoman was shocked, while the others fell flat on their stomachs, as the fire beam singed over their heads, and hit the slime group behind them, taking them out.

"What the hell was that...?" Velouria remarked, as she slowly got up.

"Casca... Are you alright?' Judeau asked.

"I'm fine... Judeau... Thank yo-" Casca was about to say, before out of the smoke of the evaporating slimes, a large clawed hook wrapped around Casca's neck, and clamped tight around it. "Ack...!?"

Before Judeau or Casca could react, the latter was being dragged through the smoke, as it dissipated, to show Casca struggling in the grip of the grappling claw that seized her throat, held by one of Mozgus's disciples, as all of them were present, right behind Mozgus, whose mouth was leaking flames, and the front of his hat was burning as well.

"I have... witnessed a miracle!" Mozgus declared with a fanatical tone. "Ooh, this is what the Lord intends! To use this power to guide the people!"

Casca continued to struggle, before the grip in the grappling hook grew stronger, cutting off her oxygen supply, as she fainted quickly, falling limp on the ground, as Mozgus picked her up in his arms.

"Casca!" Guts exclaimed, as everyone drew their weapons.

"So you are the infamous Black Swordsman." Mozgus stated, laying his eyes upon Guts, rather than the others. "And it seems that your accomplices have all been gathered. The witch that I hold in my arms is the ringleader of the evil spreading through Albion. I must show God's victory to the masses by burning her at the stake. It is my divine mission!"

"Shut the fuck up. You're just using that as an excuse to push your shitty religion further." Reimu cursed Mozgus, as she pointed her gohei right at the fanatic inquisitor. "One way or another, you're going to be dead when all of this comes to an end. We're not about to lay down and let you walk over us, with your holier-than-thou attitude."

"What? Do you intend to hinder my holy task?" Mozgus remarked, before the disciple wielding the grappling hook slowly stepped up, as his body had bulged considerably. "My disciples do not have hearts tolerant of the lord's enemies?"

Elma was hesitant, as she was scared by the insane look in Mozgus's eyes, even more so, when those very eyes laid upon her. Mozgus became silent for a moment, before the veins in his face bulged with rage.

"A demon... A demon like you dares to set foot in the sacred ground of God!?" Mozgus snarled, before he then prepared a burst of flame from his mouth. "If the Lord shall not purge you, then I shall with the holy flames imbued in me!"

Elma flinched, as she was prepared to cast a defensive spell in self-defence, before Richard then appeared from above the group, as he threw a large slab of stone that went towards Mozgus mid-attack. The giant disciple wielding the breaking wheel rushed to defend his master, using the metal tool to smash the stone to pieces. However, it did meet the intention of disrupting Mozgus's attack, as he let the flames die down in his mouth.

"Who... Who dares!?" Mozgus remarked, before Richard stepped forward, with machetes out. "...You...!"

"Inquisitor Mozgus." Richard stated with a emotionless tone and expression, as he crossed his machetes over each other. "By the command and judgement of the Iscariot Order, and the testimonies and evidence provided by the commonfolk, I pass summary judgement upon you without further delay. For the sin of committing a great heresy against the Lord by defying his commandant without penitence... You are to be executed where you stand. Resist, and you will face the divine wrath of God that we of the Iscariot Order represent."

"You dare claim to be the instrument of God's wrath!?" Mozgus retorted back with a furious expression. "Utter heresy from a unclean pretender like you! In the name of the Lord, I shall purge you where you stand for your insolence!"

"God has long forsaken a demented traitor like you." Richard spat back. "You can believe as much as you want about your position as your Lord, but you have long turned your back on Him, and have sowed discord in His religion. Even with all of His forgiveness, he believes you beyond any redemption, for you slay the faithful and torture the meek and innocent. You are the antithesis of the religion you claim to represent, so he has sent us to do what he cannot, because God's hands will remain clean of your sins. Only we, who are his dark arbiters, will carry this forbidden duty for him, for we are the thunderers that rain judgement on the fake prophets."

Mozgus's disciples did not seem to enjoy Richard's defiant words, as they hissed and scowled at Richard, before Richard then charged right at the grappling-hook disciple with fast speed, as the disciple was forced to prepare a defence, twirling his grappling hook around, before swinging it forward to block Richard's attack, as the black-haired inquisitor quickly restarted his attack.

"How cowardly. You will not face me yourself, Mozgus." Richard scorned Mozgus, as he attacked the disciple. "You would shrink behind your own disciples, who have been allured by your own 'kindness' and 'equality'. If you will not fight, then they shall meet the same fate as you. If you submit to your fate, then your disciples will be able to live to see the true way of God himself. They are NOT worthy of you, they are only worthy for those who are of the true faith!"

Guts then rushed into the fray, as Richard had one of the disciples occupied in their fight, aiming to take Mozgus's head directly.

"Make sure they don't get away." Guts shouted. "I don't know what they have done to them, but if they suddenly turned into some sort of super-human, they'll use any means to get out of this place."

"How do you know...?" Virion asked, before Guts placed two fingers on his Brand, before flicking away the blood on it, indicating that it was bleeding heavily at the moment. "Ah... I see."

"Split off, we'll cut them off at certain points!" Gus ordered, as the group rushed down the tower, as they spread out amongst the tower floors, as the flight-capable members of the group quickly headed outside, before slowly ascending to block off an aerial escape.

Guts then rushed at Mozgus, before he then swung his blade in a horizontal sweep, although it missed, as the disciples and Mozgus suddenly flew up a bit, surprising Guts, who looked up. At the same time, Richard swung his blade down onto the disciple he was facing, as he flew up to avoid Richard's strike.

Richard and Guts both saw that the disciples and Mozgus were now bearing white angelic wings, which flapped strongly in the air.

"In the name of God's righteousness! We shall smite you both down!" Mozgus declared. "You fools, who rebel against God! You shall pay for this sin with your blood!"

Richard growled back, while Guts did the same. The grappling-hook disciple rushed at Richard, before throwing his grappling hook down. However, Richard dodged the hook, before he then grabbed the chain with one hand, and bringing the disciple down with a strong tug, staggering the wielder closer, before he then used his other machete to slash down onto the arm holding the hook, before he then punched the disciple right in the face hard enough to send him staggering back with his amputated limb.

Guts suddenly felt the wind change around him, as he felt as if something was behind him, as it was the imp-like disciple wielding the twin pliers, as Guts quickly back-handed to knock the disciple off him, only for the disciple to nimbly move to another side. Guts quickly did a side-kick, only for his attack to meet nothing at all."

'_When did he get so close!?_' Guts thought, before he then saw the pliers over his head, as they reached for his eyes.

Guts quickly raised his head, as he bit down on one of the pliers hard, surprising the over-head disciple, before Guts head-butted him hard enough to knock him off, and preparing a slice with his blade. His weapon swished through the air, as the dazed disciple recovered quickly enough to avoid having his head cut off, although it did nick against his black hood.

The giant disciple wielding the breaking wheel, rushed towards Guts, who knew that he couldn't avoid the attack, as he tried to knock it aside, although the attack only smacked against the wheel, before the disciple beaned him with it, sending the black swordsman flying. Still possessing momentum, he charged at Richard.

Instead of dodging, he quickly spread his legs out in a bracing posture, before he then used both of his arms to block the wheel that was incoming, as he was knocked flying, but not before throwing a strike at the head of the giant, which was a mere glancing blow. Both Richard and Guts were knocked onto the nearby wall, as they quickly recovered, standing back up, before facing the trio of attacking disciples, which came out of the rising dust cloud caused by the fighting.

With their hoods cut off, the disciples' true faces were revealed. The giant's face was innocent and cherub-like with short blonde hair, while the grappling hook disciple's head had a large bulge on the top of his head, with feathers sprouting from his head, as he was clenching his severed arm in his jaw, while the imp-like disciple had a shrivelled up face with a stunted nose.

Guts didn't react to the true faces of the disciples, although Richard was a different case, as his expression turned much more furious, and the grip on his machetes grew tighter. Farnese, who was stunned the entire time, as her mind shut down temporarily when she saw the fight proceed, as she saw Richard and Guts fight against 'angels' as if they were almost fair fights for the both of them.

'_How... How are they able to fight like this...!?'_ Farnese thought. '_Not even the Lord's angels can be able to defeat them with ease...!?_'

"This... This is one hyper-level fight..." Isidro remarked, as he was hiding behind the rubble of a nearby pillar.

"You... YOU...!" Richard breathed, before he raised his eyes to Mozgus. "You damned swindler... You would... take advantage of the disabled and the misshapen for your corrupted deeds...!? You would take their misery and shape it as vessels of your will...!? Unforgivable... You would commit this, right before the eyes of God..."

He then began to chuckle malevolently, before he then laughed out in utter insanity. "Oh, I should congratulate you, Mozgus...!" Richard stated with a twisted smile on his face, before it turned into a expression of burning rage. "Of all the ones that I have faced, you have managed to actually make me feel twisted rage for you! I see that a merciful death would be too kind of an end for a demented and god-spiting man like you...! I assure you... You will die PAINFULLY in agony for this!"

Mozgus didn't respond back, as he regarded Richard with a empty look in his eyes. The disciples then rushed towards Richard and Guts, as the two of them readied themselves to fight again. The giant disciple immediately rushed towards the group, with his breaking wheel in front.

However, Guts was ready to strike properly, as he dug his blade through the metal wheel, burying his blade into the shoulder of the giant, who winced in pain, as tears leaked from his eyes, and he halted. However, at the same time, the imp-like disciple rained a flurry of blows right onto Guts, who managed to barely raise his blade in time to block the blows.

At that moment, the grappling-hook disciple threw his weapon forward, aiming to clamp his blade onto Richard's weapon. However, in doing so, he did not prepare himself for a sneak attack from behind by Richard, who jumped up, and cut the wings on his back clean off, causing his weapon to stop mid-flight, and clatter uselessly on the ground. The black-haired inquisitor then went up to the disciple, before picking him by the bulge on the head, and throwing him at the wall next to Mozgus, causing the wall to crack, as the disciple bounced off it.

With Guts, the giant disciple charged him once again, pushing Guts back again, as he was shoved down onto his feet, as he quickly went into a roll forward, as he cut through the leg of the giant disciple severing it, and throwing one of his daggers right at the imp disciple, as it lodged right into the left eye of the flying diminutive man, causing him to fly backwards shrieking in agony.

'_Why... Why is the Black Swordsman here, and not also the Twin-Bladed Reaper?'_ Farnese thought, as he watched the three disciples be pushed by Richard and Guts. '_He seems to be the kind to never abandon his friend, and why... Why does this inquisitor seem so... familiar... Could it be...!?_'

Mozgus was become more and more infuriated by all of this, as he was prepared to fire another blast of fire from his mouth. However, he then noticed Richard rushing towards him, slamming his machetes into the ground with such force, that when he drew them up, it caused a rain of stone bricks to fly towards Mozgus and the remaining disciples near him. The pair of identically-shaped twins quickly moved in defence of their inquisitor, while the crow-headed disciple flew up to avoid the attack. However, Richard didn't stop charging, as he leapt right into the air, with both of his machetes raised for the kill.

"DIE!" Richard screamed, as he brought his machetes down at Mozgus's head.

However, the crow-headed disciple was able to predict the attack in time, as he quickly jabbed his man-catcher forward, as the metal loop managed to catch the blades mid-attack, catching them between the spikes, as Richard was knocked back with a swing of the long apparatus.

"Master, it seems that the situation here has become dire." The crow-headed disciple told his master. "Please leave this to me and the others. You must somehow accomplish your own holy task, Father Mozgus!"

Mozgus's expression quickly calmed down, as he then bowed his head. "It would seem that... I lost my composure a bit." He stated.

"I have left the twins as your bodyguards, master." The crow-headed disciple added, as he saw Richard readying himself to charge forward.

"THEN LET US GO!" Mozgus declared boldly, before he and the twins spread their wings.

"Don't you DARE run! You will not leave this place alive!" Richard roared, charging at Mozgus again.

However, in doing so, the crow disciple attacked him mid-charge, by flapping his wings strongly, and throwing out a hail of sharp feathers that cut through the fabric of Richard's robes, as he raised an arm to shield his face. The disciple then rose into the air, before swooping down towards him, hoping to grab him with his feet, which have been morphed into sharp talons by whatever transformation he received. Richard dodged to the side, avoiding the talons, before swiping up to drive off the flying disciple.

In doing so, however, he left his arm exposed to the bulge-headed disciple, who threw his grappling hook towards Richard, as it clamped onto Richard's left forearm, causing him to be unable to move, as he tried to resist the tugs from the disciple, in a attempt to keep himself balanced, while blocking the attacks on the crow-headed disciple.

Guts had better luck, as he managed to strike and kill the imp-sized disciple by throwing his hand-sized explosives when the disciple tried to charge him, as the explosives tore through his face, and left him open to be struck down by a thrust through the explosion itself, killing him with bloody steel. Guts immediately turned to face his other opponent, the giant disciple, as he dodged to the side, to avoid a charge from the rushing giant.

Richard felt the prongs of the hook dig tighter into his arm, drawing some blood, as he gritted his teeth in pain, while letting the adrenaline rush through him. He quickly twisted around, and grabbed the grappling hook's chain again, this time using much more stronger force, sending the disciple flying towards him, who did not expect this motion from Richard. With a machete impaled through the heart, Richard took out another disciple of Mozgus, leaving him and Guts in a one-on-one battle.

Mozgus was preparing to take flight, seeing that his disciples would not last much longer against the brutal duo. However, he did not notice Isidro, who rushed behind him with his blade out.

"No, you don't!" Isidro cried out, before he then brought his blade down on Mozgus's head. "Isidro Strike!"

However, despite his blade cutting through the hat, it did not manage to dig into the head of Mozgus, who were too absorbed in his inner thoughts to even notice the strike. Isidro was stunned that his blow was completely repelled by the bare skin of his enemy, before Mozgus and the twins took flight, as Isidro clung onto Mozgus's head.

"Time out! TIME OUT!" Isidro screamed with fear, as he clung tightly onto Mozgus's head.

Reimu, Corrin, Gus, Link watched as Mozgus leave, as they noticed Isidro hanging on for his life.

"We have to save them both...!" Gus exclaimed.

"Not while that monkey Isidro is hanging off him. We can't risk letting him drop, because that'll leave our backs open to get blasted by fire." Reimu argued. "The only choice we have here is to tail them.."

"I'll head back down to the ground to take care of the others." Corrin stated, as she descended to join the group on the ground, while the other three fliers followed after Mozgus and the twins.

Guts was finishing up with the giant disciple, as Guts was able to use the speed and size of the disciple against him, as he loaded a cannon shot that blasted through the sides of the giant disciple, causing him to collapse dead immediately. As for Richard, he was standing off against the crow-headed disciple, whose head was bowed in prayer.

"Dear Lord, I thank thee... that in the last moments of our lives burdened by grotesque form and harsh destiny, thou saw fit to prepare for us a miracle such as this." He muttered under his own breath, as Richard was intently listening, as he raised his guard, as if he was expecting a formidable attack to follow after the speech.

The crow-headed disciple then rushed towards Richard, firing off a flurry of feathers, with his man-catcher pointed towards his neck. Richard ran towards the disciple, catching the feathers with his arms, before he then slid under, as the two combatants sailed past each other, although Richard severed the wings off the disciple with a rising slash, right through the stumps, as the crow-headed disciple fell to the ground, spinning across it, dropping his man-catcher along the way.

Richard then walked towards the disciple, whose glasses visors was broken, revealing the eyes under them, as he clasped his hands in deep prayer.

"And more than anything... for the miracle that we chanced to meet Father Mozgus." He concluded his long prayer, before he raised his eyes to Richard, who was about to raise his blades, as he closed his eyes to await his fate.

However, what happened was not the sound of flesh being sliced apart, along with the sweet embrace of death, but instead, a long silence. When the disciple opened his eyes, Richard lowered his blades, staring at the disciple.

"...Why...?" The disciple asked. "Why do you hesitate to strike me down?"

"...Because like I have stated. I have no ill will towards you." Richard calmly stated. "In fact, all I can feel for you is pity for how you were forced to believe by a man like Mozgus. Had it been for better... You would have never have to die here. You would have been treated far better, and you would have never have to commit those sinful deeds."

"...I do not sympathise with what I have done." The disciple responded back. "But I did it, because it was the only way that we could prove loyalty to our Lord."

"...Our Lord never desired this. He never wished for purification, but forgiveness." Richard responded back with a shake of his head. "That is why I hesitate, because I see that you did regret what you have done. And I will tell you this... In that, we are kindred. I cannot hope to understand what it is like to be someone born in suffering, and left with no-one to turn to, until the Lord came. But I too am not of a life of peace. To be a dark inquisitor... One must shed their entire life for the duty, family, friends, material desires... They all are offered as sacrifice to be the blade of God, who is too kind to purge the traitors."

The disciple was silent, as Richard continued.

"I only wished that Mozgus would have been more, so that he would have reached your expectations. But he has turned against our Lord... So much that he is sentenced to die by our hands." Richard stated. "But I will indeed respect your faith and courage to the Lord, however misplaced. I will not curse you, so long as you do not curse me as well. Even if you were in the wrong... You will be forgiven by God for your mistakes, as you known no better. Before I kill you, so that you will be free of the chains that bind you to your heretical inquisitor...? What is your name?"

"..I have no name, not even after Mozgus has received and cared for me." The disciple answered back with serene acceptance.

"A shame. Then I shall dub you Ishmael, he who listened to the Lord, in your last moments. You have shown that you are faithful to the Lord till the end, so I will make sure that your misdeeds will be wiped from the annals, and you will be marked as a true faithful follower of Him." Richard responded back, before he raised his blades. "Farewell, Ishmael. May you find peace in the afterlife."

He then beheaded the crow-headed disciple with a single cross-strike, as the head rolled along, with the crow-mask still on it. Farnese watched with utter shock, as he watched Richard and Guts meet up.

"So you're the Black Swordsman..." Richard remarked. "It seems that we have matching objectives for the time being. Let us join forces then, and purge this corrupted priest from the face of the earth."

Guts nodded back gently with a quiet 'Hn.', before the tower began to rumble, shocking the three of them.

* * *

_Outside the Tower of Conviction..._

Gus and the rest of the group, the ones that remained on the ground, were gathered around the tower, as they were being held up by the Holy Iron Chain Knights, who recognise them from back when they were in the cult hideout.

"This is not the time for this...!" Corrin pleaded back, although his own blade was raised. "We are not here to fight. We are merely here to ensure our friend's safety!"

"We cannot let you leave." Azan responded back. "As accomplices to the Black Swordsman and the Twin-Bladed Reaper, you are all under suspicion. We must seize you, before the events become more dire."

"You damn blockhead!" Antonio shouted. "We're not even doing anything! Yes, we went into the damn tower, and then we went out! We didn't so much touch your damn sacred idols and religious relics! So we can't possibly have any involvement in whatever is going on in the tower right now!"

Azan was silent, before the ground quaked under everyone, as they turned their attention to the tower, that was the source of the tremors.

"That kind of tremor..." Gunter remarked with a worried expression. "Something is tearing the structure up from below, and from the inside as well...!"

Suddenly the various arches situated at the base of the tower were smashed out, as large versions of the demonic blood slimes appeared, this time looking far more hellish with amalgamations of faces, noses, eyes, and deformed mouths.

"What... What is this...!?" Azan exclaimed, raising his long-mace for battle. "Ooh..."

The Holy Iron Chain Knights panicked, seeing the monsters before them as something real, and the slimes were also muttering their vengeful curses to everyone present, as more and more slimes burst out of the base of the tower, taking out more of the tower's base.

"Uh, I might not be some architect, but I'm pretty damn sure that's not good for the tower!" Antonio frightfully stated. "I suggest we move from that tower, the farther the better, with a lot of its base getting torn out. It's going to topple like a falling tree hacked by a lumberjack!"

"But what about-" Corrin asked.

"Do not worry about Guts and Richard." Meiling assured the others. "Richard will ensure that Guts will not be harmed, even while he is under-cover. But we need to be safe, if we're going to help him out when he's in actual danger."

The group then retreated back, as the tower began to crack and slowly topple over.

* * *

_Inside the Tower of Conviction..._

"Steady your feet!" Richard barked out. "This tower is being assaulted by the demons!"

Farnese didn't manage to keep her balance, as she toppled back down the set of stairs, as Richard and Guts watched her, and tried to reach for her, although their attempts missed completely. As Farnese sped down the stairs, she was heading out towards one of the destroyed windows, to a fall that would most certainly kill her at this height, especially with the falling rubble outside the tower.

However, she was caught by Serpico, who clung firmly to the side of the tower, as he slowly pulled her back up. The two of them silently gazed at each other, before they retreated down the stairs down towards the ground. At the same time, the ground crumbled below Richard's and Guts's feet, as they fell down a few floors.

After a few moments, the two of them landed hard on the stony pile below them, as Richard bounced off slightly, rolling across the ground, while Guts sank into it. They both slowly got up, shaking the dizziness and pain caused by the fall, off, as they brushed themselves off.

"What kind of sorcery could possibly hope to do such a grand scale of damage to this reinforced tower...?" Richard muttered to himself.

"Damn it... What the hell... is..." Guts responded back, before he looked around a bit, as his eyes set upon something horrifying, and Richard saw it soon after as well.

They saw that below them, there was a series of fires spreading through the area in front of them, with most of them aligned to form the symbol of the Brand, shocking Guts. He then looked behind him, as he saw that the structure has been miraculously crumbled to a shape that resembled a large hand raising to the heavens, much like the same hand that Griffith made his sacrifice to turn into Femto on, as memories of the Eclipse surged through him.

"CASCA!" Guts screamed, as he quickly turned around, raising his blade, as he rushed down a path leading down the ruined tower.

Richard silently followed after, as they soon encountered blood slimes, with much larger variations of them, obstructing the path ahead.

"MOVE!" Guts roared, as he obliterated the creatures with his blade.

Richard also did the same, as his machetes damaged the slimes, thanks to the holy enchantments engraved on the blades, as the two of them slowly carved their path down.

* * *

_At the outer walls of Albion..._

Both the Holy See forces, and the ground team were moving out of the tower, as the Holy Iron Chain Knights were already on the move, working to support each other.

"Everyone get as far from the tower as you can!" Azan commanded. "Those with free hands, help the wounded!"

Suddenly, they heard a large stampede of footsteps head towards them, as it was the fleeing refugees, who came from the burning refugee camps, as they screamed out pleas for salvation and mercy, while they were chased by various possessed individuals, who tore the refugees into pieces and devoured them raw.

"This... This is...!" Elma exclaimed in pure horror, seeing the terror up close, as Virion held her close.

"How terrible... It seems that the chaos have spread further and further..." Virion muttered.

To make matters worse, the demon slimes were chasing after them from behind, wedging them in a pincer attack between the possessed refugees and the blood slimes. Corrin and the others drew their blade, and so did Azan and the more braver of the Holy Iron Chain Knights, prepared to fight a difficult battle against two fronts.

However, suddenly, both of the enemy fronts were bathed in flames, as they were burnt away quickly without much difficulty. The source of those flames was Mozgus, who was still carrying Casca, and with Isidro in tow, as well as the twins following behind him.

"V-Vice Commander, look...!" One of the knights exclaimed with surprise, pointing at the winged trio.

"God Breath!" Mozgus declared, letting out another stream of fire to destroy the remnants of the blood slimes and possessed refugees.

"That's... Mozgus...!?" Azan yelled with surprise.

"Angels...!?" Another knight joined in. "They're angels!?"

Mozgus then flicked his eyes up where Isidro is, before he then snatched him by the collar of his tunic, before then throwing him towards the top of the walls.

"Lambs of God! There is nothing to fear!" Mozgus declared. "Whatever supernatural acts those of heresy may commit... If your faith be without one blot, god shall surely smite the power of evil and show us a miracle! See this form of mine! This is the manifestation of God's power! Wings with which to sweep away wickedness!"

The refugees were astonished by Mozgus's display of faith, as most of them bowed down one by one, letting out cries of 'Blessed angel!...', 'Father Mozgus...!' and 'Guardian angel!'.

"We shall now burn this witch, the ringleader of the heresy running amok in this holy place, at this stake!" Mozgus roared, raising the fainted Casca. "We shall put an end to these abominable monstrosities!"

Soon, more monsters arrived to attack the refugees and knights, although they were held back by Mozgus and the twins, the latter of which used their long saw-blades to behead the possessed refugees. At the same time, the refugees were quickly preparing a large pillar as the stake to burn Casca on, while Corrin and the group watched on in horror.

"We have to-" Corrin shouted, before she was silenced by Meiling placing a hand over her mouth.

"Not if we want to be found out immediately." Meiling answered back, before pointing to the Holy Iron Chain Knights, who were occupied with the demons. "If we draw the ire of Mozgus onto us, we will likely cause more causalities onto the other refugees. Although Richard won't care about this, it would be best for you and Elma's sake, that we lay down low for the time being."

"But...!" Corrin replied back with a muffled voice.

"Do not worry. I'm sure that the other group will engage Mozgus in time. We just need to hope." Meiling responded back.

Much to the group's hope, Reimu managed to arrive in the scene in time, as she prepare another spell-card.

"Declare Spell Card! Spirit Sign: 'Fantasy Seal'!" Reimu declared, as a ethereal red magic circle appeared around her, as she fired off her barrage of multi-coloured orbs, as they honed on towards Mozgus, as they blasted him out of the sky, and loosening his grip on Casca involuntarily. Casca fell towards the ground, as the refugees were prepared to catch her, in order to drag her to the stake.

However, Gus then shot across the air, slightly above the crowd, as she managed to swipe Casca from her fall, as he held her tightly in a bridal-carry. Casca slowly woke up, as she blinked her eyes a few times.

"Mnh..." Casca muttered, as she slowly realised what was happening, turning to Gus. "Gus...? What is happening-"

"We managed to save you." Gus responded back. "I'll get you to safety."

"THOU SHALT NOOOTTT-" Mozgus bellowed with fury, before Reimu zoomed through the air, raising her gohei, before doing a high-speed smash with her gohei, right in the centre of the insane inquisitor's face, as it managed to cause him to fly towards the outer wall, spinning backwards uncontrollably for a moment.

The twins were about to prepare an attack of their own, but Link pulled out his bow, before he then sniped down one of the twins with an arrow to the the opportunity at present, Virion nocked his own arrow, managing to make a long-shot connect, piercing the head of the other twin, taking out what remained of Mozgus's disciple.

Mozgus slowly recovered, as he dabbed his hand on his face, finding it bloody, as his livid eyes locked onto Reimu, while the refugees were looking at the flying trio.

"What are they...? How are they flying without wings, like Father Mozgus...!?" One of the refugees remarked.

"They have to be the ones leading the demons! Father Mozgus is in danger!" Another one remarked.

"YOOOOUUUU! I WILL SMITE YOU WITH THE FULL FURY OF GOD!" Mozgus screamed with fanatic hatred to Reimu, who didn't care at all.

"Bring it, flat-face." Reimu taunted, as she prepared her gohei and talismans for battle.

Suddenly, from above, Richard leapt down from the top of the ruined tower. "MOZGGUUUUUSSSSS!" He screamed with fury, with both of his machetes raised, all the way down.

Mozgus could hear the cry, although he wasn't able to discern where the cry was coming from, as Richard struck down behind him, as he stabbed both of his weapons right into the back of Mozgus, and into the stump of the wings themselves, as they came apart with sprays of blood, as the both of them fell towards the ground.

"What...!?" A refugee exclaimed. "Father Mozgus...!"

"Some black thing... It came from above!" Another refugee cried, pointing at the falling figures.

They soon impacted on the ground, as they saw the large dust cloud that was created from the impact, before it then spread apart to show Mozgus laying back-first on the broken wall, with a unresponsive and fainted expression, and Richard on him, with foot on chest, and furious expression on his face.

Guts then jumped down, as he skidded along the stone wall of the tower, sliding down the slope, before he reached the outer walls.

"Father Mozgus! Father Mozgus was...!" One of the refugees cried in horror.

"The Angel... The Angel was struck down by..." Another refugee shouted, before he then saw Richard, as he recognised him. "Wait... No, it's... It's...!"

"It's the Dark Inquisitor!" Yet another refugee answered. "But why...! Why would he strike down Father Mozgus like that...!?"

Guts then looked at Richard, as he kept his distance, and Richard pulled out his blades, and placed them over Mozgus's neck.

"Inquisitor Mozgus... Look before the blind sheep that you have misled with your honeyed words and guilty intentions." Richard coldly declared with a snarl. "You may have escaped karmic punishment several times with your ill-gained faith, but this time, there will be no God, or any of your delirious schemes to save you. For the death of thousands of innocents, the twisting of faith of many more tens of thousands to a false image of the Lord, and for personally turning you back against the Lord by defying his sacred Commandments, I sentence you to be publicly executed, so that they will know the demonic blood that flows in your veins, as the betrayer to the Lord!"

Richard then swung his blades down, as he moved to slice Mozgus's head off. However, Mozgus's head suddenly jerked up, as he let out a nonsensical cry. The black-haired inquisitor was stunned by the sudden revival of the deluded priest, before he then noticed a large fist heading towards him, as it smacked him squarely in the chest with such force, that he felt his own rib-cage rattle and strain under the pressure of the attack, before he was sent flying back.

Guts heard the commotion, as he watched Richard get knocked back, while Mozgus rose to his feet, as he was much larger, his body completely changed. His entire body was covered with large round scales, and his eyes were completely red. His wings have been morphed into larger ones, that acted like extra limbs, with fingers on them, as one of them was responsible for the sucker-punch that Richard received earlier.

"Fool who manipulate the Lord... Swift is Heaven's Vengeance!" Mozgus roared, his voice much deeper than before from his transformation. "In the name of Heaven, I shall deliver punishment upon thee!"

Richard slowly rose up to his feet, as he coughed a little, fortunately with no blood leaking out, although his chest still hurt.

"...It does not matter what form you will take. I will strike you down, the monster who spouts only lies about the Lord!" Richard shouted back. "At last you show your true form! Truly, a demon like you worshipping our Lord!? NEVER!"

"No matter how much of that wicked power you call upon, it is useless!" Mozgus mocked back. "You will not surpass me with the power entrusted from me by God!"

Richard silently prepared himself, before Mozgus spoke again.

"The fact that you are alive in this place... must mean that my four disciples have been called to heaven." Mozgus remarked, before tears of blood dripped down his eyes. "I shall tear you to pieces... as tribute to their memory!"

"Tribute for them...?" Richard remarked, before his expression tightened up into one of demonic fury. "How dare you, HOW DARE YOU! Those disciples of yours deserved a better life to be your mere pawns! They have died in their duty, and yet you speak of avenging them as if you care for them!? You dare mock their kind souls... You dare mock their devotion for what they believed is right... You act like a shepherd for the blind sheep that is the followers of God, but you are anything but! You are a wolf bearing the clothes of a shepherd, devouring the sheep to spite humanity! You who wore the skin of a human, as a monster, have NO RIGHT CALLING UPON THE NAME OF HEAVEN!"

Farnese and Serpico were right behind Gus, Guts, Isidro and Casca, as they saw Richard and Mozgus, causing Farnese to freeze where she was.

'_What... What is this...? This is... This is Father Mozgus...!?_' Farnese thought. '_And right against him is the Dark Inquisitor that the refugees and knights are speaking about... What have happened?_'

They then clashed with each other, as Guts was about to rush in. However, Richard turned to Guts, blocking one of Mozgus's strike with his machetes.

"NO! This betrayer will only be slain by my hands and my hands alone! It is the only way that God will be satisfied when he finally falls!" Richard cried out.

"God Breath!" Mozgus cried, as he fired a stream of fire from his mouth, hoping to roast Richard alive. However, he dodged to the side, as a part of his robes caught on fire. Richard quickly extinguished it with a few quick pats, before he then dodged a charge from the monstrous inquisitor.

Richard carved at Mozgus, dodging his blows, although his machetes weren't powerful enough to cut through the scales, only at most denting through them, and his attacks were too wide to take advantage of the space between the scales to attack his exposed flesh.

"It is useless to strike at me! As long as I have the Lord's divine protection, you will not harm my body!" Mozgus exclaimed, before every part of his wings, including the large feathers curled up, forming a large row of smaller fists. "Come hither, great strength! Come hither, super power! God Thousand-Fist Cannon!"

His wings then opened their barrage on Richard, as they assaulted him from all angles. Even with his reflexes, Richard couldn't block every punch, as most of them went through, battering him all over, and dazing him greatly. He then crumpled down, as Mozgus then prepared his God Breath.

"Take this! God Breath!" Mozgus screamed, as he breathed fire onto Richard, as it engulfed him all over.

Guts was shocked that Richard was hit directly by the stream of fire, as was the rest of his group, as his cries of agony could be heard, before he then rolled out of the side, looking a lot worse for wear, as he was struggling to get up. Mozgus then turned to him, as he slowly approached Richard.

"Do you mean that you care not that tens of thousands of believers shall lose their lives in exchange for one evil witch?" Mozgus declared. "Is that what you intend, false inquisitor?"

"You are mistaken..." Richard growled back, as he used his own blades to push himself up. "I will save as many lives as I can, not from her, because she is not the witch, but from you...! You who would throw their lives into the inferno for your false invocations to the Lord! I will not die... I will not back down... I am the second of the Iscariot Order... I will not be overthrown by a mere false priest who taken in demon-hood to continue his string of lies among the faithful...!"

"You foolish reprobate!" Mozgus roared back with fury. "Prayer is faith in and of itself! Prayer and devotion of all to God! That is the essence of faith! Arrogant man who dare claim to be faithful to the Lord! REPENT! Repent in your last living moments!"

"Repent...? Repent for what...? Repent for opposing a truth-less demon like yourself? Repent for carrying out God's will? Repent for saving the lives of countless faithful people, and countless more innocents...?" Richard responded back, spitting the words out. "If that is what God wishes for me to repent for, then your God is nothing but a tool for the demons to twist and manipulate their followers into sin and vices! You who would commit the sin of pride and wrath, you are the one who shall be repenting! I WILL MAKE IT SO!"

"Do you not fear god!?" Mozgus shouted, as he smashed Richard again and again, although Richard kept on his feet, despite the pain. "You mean to oppose my holy duties to the bitter end!?"

"That's right. I don't fear God, for he is by my side, and within the heart of those who have followed his divine will, and shown a pure heart..." Richard responded back weakly. "Even me, who is assigned to purge the demon, the heretic, and the traitor... I have kept my heart to God and God alone, but I do not rely merely on God, for He has made me to serve Man as well. And so, I will do Man a service, by ridding them of the great disease that is you, Inquisitor Mozgus!"

Farnese was astonished by the defiance exhibited by Richard, as well as the faith that emanated from his every word, as she found her belief in Mozgus wavering greatly, seeing that Richard was outright standing by God's word, with his statements.

"DAMN YOUUUUUU!" Mozgus roared, before he then cocked back his actual right arm, as if he was about to deal the finishing blow onto Richard, before then throwing a massive punch that sent Richard flying to the back of the wall, as he finally coughed up some blood, while sliding down. Mozgus then charged up a God Breath, although he held it in, charging it up. After holding it long enough, he then unleashed it, into a massive torrent of fire that engulfed the entire front of the wall.

"RICHARD!" Guts shouted with a horrified expression.

"No!" Gus exclaimed, as Casca was shocked too, as she turned away, as if trying to avoid looking at the terrible scene.

Mozgus kept on unleashing his breath of fire, before he then stopped, when he felt that he was sure that Richard was burnt to ashes. As the flames slowly died out, the only thing he could see on the singed wall was a large purple-black egg-like shell. Mozgus was a little suspicious, although he felt nothing moving or breathing from it, as he was sure that it was merely what remained of the reprobate that challenged him.

Farnese was stunned as well, as she heard Guts's outcry, as she was shocked by the fact that the 'Dark Inquisitor' and Richard were one and the same.

'_Then that means... What he had told me before... Was it all the truth...?_' Farnese thought. '_Oh Lord, to think that he would be a inquisitor of his own right... When I struck him... He was showing me great mercy... He never rebuked me for my words, and treated me gently. And I... I...! I vented my own unfaithful rage towards him... What have I done...!?_'

"Behold! This is divine punishment!" Mozgus declared. "You have seen first-hand the power that I wield! Now, I shall wrest back the witch that has been stolen!"

The refugees were in shock, as they didn't know how to react, as there was a long period of awkward silence. Soon, one of the refugees spoke first.

"F-Father Mozgus! Behind you!" He shouted, pointing behind Mozgus.

"What...?" Mozgus remarked, before he then turned around.

_BGM Change: __Bleach: Fade to Black - B13a (Intense Symphonic Metal Cover by FalKKonE)_

He then saw that the shell was in fact flattened feathered, they slowly folded themselves out, before the wings slowly dispersed apart to reveal Richard, whose wounds have mostly disappeared, and he was in a entirely different attire. No longer was he in his dark inquisitor robes, but instead a long dark purple angelic robe with golden runes inscribed on the edges of the lapels of the cloth.

"Arrogant wretch." Richard mocked with a much stronger tone. "It would take far more than that to be rid of me. But I will give you respect where it is due. Out of all the targets I have slain... You are the second to force me to invoke my incarnate form."

'_He's... He's another angel..._' Farnese thought with awe. '_No wonder... No wonder his faith to God is so great... He is one of his men from the heavens... Then that would mean... Father Mozgus... No... He's the one who turned against God...!?_'

"How...!? How have you managed to survive my holy God Breath...!?" Mozgus remarked back.

"Because your unholy flames no longer strike at me." Richard responded back, spreading his arms out. "Invoking the power of an high-ranked angel, I have inherited their physique and divine might. You may have had me cornered before, but now that I understand that it would take a angel to slay a great demon like yourself, you won't have the same luxury from here on."

Mozgus growled, before Richard walked forward.

"You say this is divine punishment? This measly attempt to imitate such power?" Richard continued, before he snarled. "NO. There is no living being that is not an angel high above the echelon of elites, that could possibly be able to create such power for retribution. You know nothing of the term, nor the power it wields. But worry not, I will be willing to impart you with that knowledge... through direct application. Because as you can see..."

He then summoned twin blades, that were wreathed in bright orange flames. "...I am the incarnate of no simple and unnamed angel... No, the angel I incarnate is one of the great seven who serve under God directly... The Angel of Judgement and Punishment, Phanuel." Richard responded back.

"It does not matter whose power you invoke! It will be all powerless before-" Mozgus roared back, before Richard rushed forward, and sliced at Mozgus's chest, as the flaming blade easily pierced through the scales of Mozgus's chest, drawing blood. "What...!?"

"As a mortal, my blades are merely enchanted to slay demons, not strike through armor." Richard remarked, twirling his blade around. "But against the sacred blades I wield...? Not even the true protection of God will defend you completely against my strikes, much less a heretical imitation of His power. Your time is imminent, Mozgus. I will give you a choice, accept your fate and save what little redemption that He sees in you, or you can choose to defy and certainly rot in the Void for all of eternity, with all the innocent souls you have dragged there before."

"Never! I will never fall to a false angel!" Mozgus roared, before he then prepared another attack. "God Thousand-Fist Cannon!"

Richard was prepared for the attack, as he raised his blades, as he swung them around, creating a large amount of sukimas, as blades jutted out of them, blocking each and every one of the attacks within the barrage. Mozgus saw his strongest attack do nothing to Richard as he was now, causing him to fumble and flinch.

"Then I have no more words for you, Mozgus the traitor." Richard coldly responded back. "And I have no intentions to toy with you, like you have done with me. DIE."

He then struck Mozgus with a cross-slash, pushing him closer to the edge of the wall, before Richard summoned two large holy blades, that pierced through Mozgus's feet, pinning him. Richard then charged his flaming blades up, before he then carved Mozgus over and over, breaking through his scaled armor, before the front of his chest was revealed. Richard then placed both of his blades together, as they merged into a large broad-sword, which he thrust through Mozgus's heart, causing him to cry out in agony.

"Ohh... Lord God... I... come now... into your... presence..." Mozgus wheezed, before his wings and arms then moved to trap Richard with him, as he charged himself for one more God Breath. "But at least... I bring my enemy with me. With the last of my life's flame... shall evil be consumed!"

"You would dare spite me, by trying to take me to hell with me!?" Richard roared back, before he then tightened his grip around his blades. "So be it, let the light of punishment and purification rend your flesh apart and drop your damned soul to the deepest depths of hell where you belong, soulless monster!**_ LUX JUDICII!_**"

With that incantation, a large beam of holy golden light rained down from above, as it covered Mozgus entirely, as he didn't get the chance to even scream, before the light vaporised his entire body, with the severed wings and arms still holding Richard's body and blade respectively, their stumps smoking, before they fell down.

Richard then slowly separated his blades, and then sheathed them behind his back. "And now... my duty is complete." He silently stated to himself.

_BGM Change: (None)_

The refugees looked at how Richard eradicated Mozgus so quickly, as they could swear that they saw glowing white feathers rain from the sky. The group on the walls watched as Richard's words trailed off, and behind them, Serpico and Farnese were utterly shocked.

"Well now, looks like this Dark Inquisitor bumped off our own." Serpico stated. "And in a manner befitting of an angel. Now I see why he's a inquisitor, and the reason why he should be respected."

'_Like that... Just like that... He annihilated Mozgus under a holy beam from the heavens... If this does not prove that the thundering angel before me is genuine... Then I have truly become unfaithful..._' Farnese thought to herself.

"Mother... the white angel died." A boy told his mother, who was stunned.

"What... If that was an angel of judgement... Then Father Mozgus... who we followed... was..." The woman spoke.

Suddenly, a large wave of demon slimes rushed out of the tower heading towards the refugees. The refugees, realizing that they were now in danger, immediately panicked.

"Mozgus is dead, right? We can start fighting them off now?" Corrin asked, as she pulled out Yato.

"Indeed." Meiling nodded.

The group immediately engaged in combat with the slimes, hoping to delay them. Richard saw that the refugees were panicking, as he realized that this was the right moment to speak for himself as the new angel.

"Hear me, faithful ones!" Richard cried out for all to hear. "You are not abandoned yet. I still remain here!"

The refugees stopped panicking, as they looked towards Richard with fearful and pleading eyes. Richard then cleared his throat.

"First of all, for those who have had to witness all of this, even as a high-ranked angel... I must ask for the forgiveness of all of you." Richard told them. "It it my fault that I have not been here to prevent this, so you had to rely on whatever faith that you could find. I blame you not for trusting the betrayer. Because now, you can return back to the path that our Lord has truly set for us, through me."

Richard then raised a finger. "However, I cannot tell if you all are truly faithful yet. If you are truly faithful to the Lord, then you will know what to speak. All I need is to hear those words from those who show true faith to the Lord, and you will be protected. My power far surpasses that of these foul demons, but I can only protect so much, so you must make your choice to who you will follow. If you will not follow the Lord, then as long as you do not spite him, you are absolved of any sin of doing so."

The refugees then chattered amongst each other, as they discussed about what to do. However, in the middle of all the talk, a refugee called a phrase out.

"I... I shall serve the Lord with dedication and truth!" The refugee repeated what Richard instructed them back at the refugee camp.

And like a domino effect, more and more people repeated the same phrase, as they bowed down before Richard, all while repeating the phrase like a prayer. Richard smiled a little, trying not to let the pride of being praised as a divine being get to his head too much.

"...I see. So you all wish to continue the path of faith for our Lord." Richard stated, before he then raised his blade. "Then clench onto your hearts, as I shall rain judgement on evil, and protect the innocent!"

Richard then created a massive shower of light orbs, as they pelted and tore apart the demon forces, until there was no more left. Not only that, a barrier of light surrounded the refugees, protecting them from most forms of harm they could receive out in the open.

"Thank you, merciful angel...!" One of the refugees cried in joy and relief.

"Thank you, merciful angel...!" Another one cried, before more thanked Richard.

Guts watched as Richard showed-off to please the masses, as he shook his head. "Good grief, he really knows how to act..." He mutters to himself.

The rest of the group made their way up, as they meet with Guts, as Gus laid Casca down on her feet, as she looked around.

"Is it... over?" She muttered.

"I don't think so... The skeletal knight... He hinted that there is more to come." Gus responded back.

Suddenly, as if on cue with Gus's suspicions, a swarm of blood slimes rushed up the tower, slowly covering the ruined tower, as the group were shocked by the sudden appearance of such a large group of monsters, as some of them surrounded the group.

"Damnit... We can't just wait around here... If we stay here, we're going to get swarmed...!" Guts exclaimed.

"Wait... fire..." Gus muttered, before he then recalled how the flames drove the demons away. "I got it! I have a way to help us!"

He then immediately created a large ring of fire, that surrounded the group, as the demonic slimes recoiled away from it, as if it was the bane of their existence. The group were astonished to see that the fire was doing wonders for them, as they slowly advanced along the path.

Gus looked at Richard, who was aware of the slimes reaching behind him, as he eradicated them with his flaming blades, as they were no match for him at all. He noticed that Richard was prepared to stay until the dawn arrived, before he then guided the group across the outer walls, down to the ground. Behind them, Farnese quickly grabbed a few sturdy sticks upon the walls, as she dabbed them onto the dying sparks emitted from the ring of flames, creating torches to shield themselves from the creatures as well.

Suddenly, Guts and Casca froze, as they clutched their brands, as Guts growled while Casca screamed in agony.

"It hurts...! It hurts...!" Casca screamed, as she clutched her bleeding brand, which stained her clothing. "This agonising pain... Where is it coming from...? Someone stop it... please...!"

"Casca...! Hold on, it'll pass! You just need to endure it!" Link assured the troubled female officer.

The group watched, as the tower itself began to move, as the colossal hand reached for something above it, a large light in the sky, slowly clenching its fingers over it. The light slowly disappeared, before the hand opened again after a while. And suddenly, the faces of the slimes all let out a spray of blood, as the tower began to finally topple, its organic supports having passed on into nothingness.

At the same time, Guts could feel a familiar presence through his Brand, as it caused him to feel a surge of rage build up inside of him, as he shouted a single name.

"GRIFFITH!" He howled out with his entire voice.

Soon the dawn arrived, as the tower finished crumbling apart, as there was a bright light shining in the horizon.

Below them, were the refugees, who sworn their faith to Richard, as the barrier protected them from the falling rubble, ensuring that what remained of the survivors left unscathed. They looked up to Richard, who silently stood there looking down at them.

"...The time has passed. Dawn has broken, and the demons have retreated to the darkness whence they came from." Richard remarked, before he knelt down, clutching both of his blades together. "And so... My duty here ends. I bid you all farewell. May your future be bright and hopeful, for God watches over you, and he will not ignore your pleas, for we, the angels, will be there to answer in His behalf."

The refugees then broke into a collective cry of relief, thanking the benevolent angel before them, before they saw a large beam of light appear around Richard, as it engulfed him for a moment, before it slowly faded away to reveal that he was gone. The refugees, realising that they have no place here, immediately walked away from the tower ruins, deciding that they should move on with their lives.

Richard soon appeared around the ground group, who were surprised by his sudden appearance, as he was back in his usual appearance. He also noticed that the Holy Iron Chain Knights were gone, as he assumed that they might have went to escort and care for the refugees under Azan's orders.

"Hey. How did you think I did there?" Richard asked the group.

"Frightfully well, if I say so myself." Judeau admitted. "Just look at what you did, you thwarted that guy from burning Casca, and turned those refugees to your side, by saving them like an proper angel."

"I guess that this is all over then." Corrin remarked, as she was relieved. "We managed to save so many lives here, thanks to you, Richard."

"Don't be... All I wanted is to make the refugees see the truth about their God. They don't deserve some fucked-up and mentally-insane inquisitor like Mozgus feeding them lies about the religion itself." Richard responded back.

They then noticed the other group come down, as Guts was holding firmly onto Casca, who was leaning against him, while Gus dispelled the fire ring, which has served its purpose already.

"Damn... So I guess that the plan was a great success then..." Isidro remarked. "I guess that you really got a head between your shoulders."

"Thanks for the compliment." Richard answered back with a accepting tone.

Farnese then approached Richard, as she was shuddering, and Richard turned to her with a stoic expression.

"...Richard..." Farnese remarked.

"Yes? I suppose that you're not planning on trying to seize me again, considering that you're surrounded by my friends, and you only have Serpico beside you to protect you if things go wrong." Richard asked back. "If you want to talk, then I have no reason to harm or worry you."

"No... I see that there is no point in seizing you anymore." Farnese responded back. "I think that the time I have spent here, watching the events here unfold, have opened my eyes greatly to the truth about our faith to God. It seems that not even the faithful are exempt from corruption, as the teachings and commandants that were supposed to be untainted were being altered unaware, by those with sinister intentions. Through all I have seen, this is proven... I now understand that I have turned against God myself, watching the dark inquisitor in action."

"That so...?" Richard responded back, raising an eye-brow. "That's quite a quick change of heart, from last time, when you were cursing my name and begging for your partner to slay me, to actually letting me go, without anything more."

"I will need some time to clarify my purpose. After all, you told me that my true purpose is still yet to be found." Farnese answered back. "You have my word that the Holy Iron Chain Knights will trouble you no further. I plan to resign as commander."

"If you're leaving, Lady Farnese, then I will join you. I have sworn to be by your side at all times." Serpico casually added.

"Very well, Guts... Richard... If we ever meet again, I'm sure that it will be at far better terms, this time, not behind blades." Farnese answered back.

Suddenly, the group heard the sound of weapons whistling through the air towards them, as the group quickly reacted, as the front members, Guts, Link, Richard, Gus quickly cut down or deflected long javelin-like weapons that were thrown at the group. Through the early morning fog, many Kushan assassins emerged, ready to fight.

"K-Kushan...!?" Isidro exclaimed, as he drew his blade. "They're really Kushan...!"

"Tch... We got another fight in our hands." Judeau stated.

"Everyone form up, we need to drive them off!" Casca ordered everyone.

The Kushan assassins then rushed the group, only to meet severe resistance, as the group fought back strongly, looking like that they haven't lost much strength from fighting the demons before. The group covered every single angle, as they thwarted all attempts for ambushes on them, as Elma was within the group's formation, chanting blessing and enchantments quickly, to support her fellow group in battle. Isidro, with these enchantments, sped through the Kushan, weaving through them and taking their legs out without them noticing, allowing the group to have the opening to finish them with a single blow.

As the fighting continued, Azan joined the fray, having ditched his helmet elsewhere for a bandana, as he slammed away a Kushan man with his weapon.

"Lady Farnese...! Are you unharmed!?" Azan exclaimed.

"...I'm... I'm fine." Farnese responded back with hesitation in her voice.

Azan then looked around, as he saw the group in battle, as his eyes then laid upon Guts, who was fighting ferociously against the Kushan. He then sighed at the scene.

"It seems that the situation before us is dire indeed. We don't have any time to discuss about these happenings right now." Azan remarked, before he fractured the skull of an approaching Kushan man with a heavy swing from his long mace. "Come! You face Vice-Commander Azan of the Holy Iron Chain Knights in battle!"

The fighting continued for a bit longer, before both parties halted, when they felt a strong tremor rumble through the area. Zodd then burst out the tower ruins, in his beastly form, and missing his left horn that was severed at the stump, as the Kushan looked towards him.

"What the...!? More of last night!?" Azan exclaimed in shock.

"It's him again...! It's Zodd!" Gus shouted. "Nosferatu Zodd!"

"Aaah..." Casca whimpered, as she recalled her last encounter with him in the past.

Zodd trod through the assassins, as he smashed a portion of the wall open, passing through it, as both groups were still stunned at his sudden appearance.

"Now's not the time to dawdle! Quick, while the enemy is distracted and unable to resume their assault on us! We must escape their encirclement!" Virion advised everyone.

The group quickly did so, finding them outside the walls. Guts looked up, and saw the skeletal knight perched above them, as he rose a bony finger to point at the light in the horizon. Guts turned to where the light was, and was shocked by what he saw.

Within the light, there was a large flock of white birds that flew out in different directions, and when they left, they saw Griffith back in his human form, stark-naked and no longer alike to that of Femto, the Hawk of Darkness. Everyone was shocked, as they didn't move at all.

"Griffith...?" Guts muttered.

Zodd then moved over to Griffith, before he then knelt down on both knees, and lowered his head, letting out a submissive growl. Griffith placed his gentle and light hand in between Zodd's eyes.

"What... What the hell is this!?" Reimu demanded.

"This is... the second rebirth of Griffith. From Femto to Griffith, to be more precise. Hopefully, this Griffith must have regained most of what he had lost, i.e his humanity." Richard responded back calmly.

Guts was about to rush towards Griffith with murder in his eyes, before he then heard the words of his fellow comrades, that stopped him.

"Griffith... It can't be... You're really back... How could this..." Casca muttered, as she was trembling with emotion.

"Griffith... Is that... Is that really you... But how...?" Judeau added, as he was just as stunned.

The Kushan, as soon as they snapped out of their daze, instead redirected their target to Griffith, who earned the irritation of Zodd, who stood up and slaughtered them by the dozen.

As the commotion went on, Azan noticed a small path leading down the trail, as he grabbed Farnese by the arm forcefully

"We must make haste! We must get as far from this place as we can, Lady Farnese!" Azan shouted to her.

Farnese took a last glance at Richard, Guts and the rest of the group, as they were still fixated on Griffith, before she then went down the path with Serpico and Azan by her side.

"Right then, I think that our purpose here is done. We should immediately get out of here, before things get real bad here." Richard remarked.

"What!? But he's...! HE'S...!" Guts exclaimed.

"I know what you are thinking right now, Guts. But this is not the time to be enacting revenge yet, especially when Zodd is protecting him right now." Richard answered back, before he then turned to the rest of the group. "Any of you have objections about this either?"

No-one responded back, as Richard snapped his fingers, as a sukima appeared.

"Alright, then we leave quickly. Before the Kushan decide that we should be taken out for measure as well." Richard told the others.

The group filed through the portal, leaving the ruins in Albion, before Zodd left with Griffith on his back, leaving the Kushan alone of the former holy ground.


	16. Chapter 15

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 15: A Short Reunion, To Elfheim

A/N: Fairly graphic scene in this chapter. If you don't want to see, then skip the nightmare section indicated by '_After an hour or two...?'_

* * *

_At Godo's mountain..._

The group exited through Richard's sukima one by one, as they found themselves back on the snowy grounds of the mountain, as they looked around.

"We're back here again..." Judeau stated.

"That's right. It's only right that we gather up here, because we got to tell Rickert about what happened with Griffith." Richard answered back. "I know that we cannot trust him yet, but he's still there."

"There..." Guts trailed off, as his mind was preoccupied with various thoughts regarding the deep hatred of Griffith in his head.

The group ascended the mountain, before they encountered Erica, standing over a newly-erected gravestone. Some of the group realised who the grave might have belonged to, but remaining in melancholic silence, and others who still tried to discern who the buried was.

"Erica!" Casca shouted, as she walked over with a joyous smile on her face. "I'm back...!"

Erica then turned around as he saw the group have returned, as Richard turned to Judeau with a prideful smirk.

"Remember what I told you, Judes?" Richard told him with a smug tone. "She's back here, safe and sound, without a single scratch on her, like I promised."

"Heh, didn't know you had it in you to ensure that." Judeau chuckled. "Alright, I accept defeat there."

"Hey. We're back." Guts answered back, before Erica rushed up to Casca, before she wept onto her chest.

Guts then turned to the grave, as did Link and Gunter, who approached it.

"I guess we took too long." Guts remarked with slight regret in his voice.

"Don't be like that, Guts. Death is a natural thing for all living things." Link assured Guts. "We all die eventually, it's just that Godo's time came at a bad time, before we were able to return and bring him the news that we've managed to make it back safe and sound."

"...I may not know this old blacksmith for long..." Gunter stated, before he then knelt before the grave. "But as a fellow man of profession, within our twilight years... I cannot say that I do not mourn for his unfortunate passing. From what I heard from young Rickert and young Erica, he was a famed blacksmith in the past. I have only respect for him."

The group then made their way back to the cottage, as Erica spoke with them on the way.

"It was soon after you and the others left, Guts." Erica stated. "Daddy said that he was lucky enough to meet you and Richard before he died. Besides, he didn't want either of you to see his face once he was gone."

Guts was silent, as Corrin spoke up.

"Erica... I think that we should not speak more about your father's death. Aren't you glad that Casca has returned?" Corrin asked the young girl.

"Of course! You found her yourselves, although it was partially my fault for losing her back then." Erica stated.

"No, I should take full responsibility for that. I let my own concerns and worries take priority over my own safety and well-being." Casca answered back. "Had it not be for you, Guts and Richard... I really don't know if I would have been able to make it out of that holy ground alive."

"So... What are you going to do now?" Erica asked Guts. "You won't leave her again, right? Let's all.. Let's all live together."

"Heh heh, you really are quite kind to let us reside with you, little Erica." Virion smiled back warmly.

"We can help to make the residence even better. Get some jobs, spend the money, refurbish the place." Reimu remarked, before she noticed that some of the group were giving her odd looks. "What!? I'm not THAT greedy. I have a heart, you know!"

"Well, it's already fairly greedy." Richard laughed. "Don't think that I didn't notice you stealthily looting some wealth for yourself."

"Richard... I swear..." Reimu pouted.

Within Elma's cloak, Puck peeked out, as he looked up to Elma.

"Hey, Elma... Do you think that we'll be able to live peacefully? I mean... Sure, we managed to get all of us back together, but I feel like that there's more to things than there is right now." Puck told her.

"I feel the same... But for now, all we can do is cherish these heart-warming moments." Elma stated. "When these are rare in this kind of terrible world... It's the best for people like Guts and Richard..."

They soon entered the cottage where the blacksmith formerly lived, as they sat around each other, crouching or sitting down.

"Alright... So... I guess that you're going to be out dealing with apostles again, right?" Richard asked Guts.

"Not now, with how Griffith returned, I will need time to process all of this." Guts denied.

"Griffith... Is that really him?" Judeau remarked. "He looked like as if time has been wound back, to the time that he was prestigious enough to become a knight commander back then, before the betrayal happened.

"Questionable." Richard responded back. "I can sense one's aura, and I can tell you that Griffith is not entirely the same as before. I'd say that he's a bit like the Griffith we knew and loved, as much as Guts would hate it, considering all he has been subject through, but I definitely know that his persona as Femto didn't suddenly up and vanish. I'd say it's a mix between the two personalities. Just the right balance to make him an ambitious conqueror, with an clear understand of the human psyche, both positive and negative."

"Then what now?" Casca asked. "What are we supposed to do? Go after him?"

"We'll leave that decision for later. I've got an idea in mind, although we should rest up a few days, to lick our wounds and revise the events in the past." Richard answered back, before he then stood up. "I'll be taking an walk. You guys continue talking if you like, but I've got nothing more to contribute to the group for now."

Richard then left the cottage, as he closed the door to stop the snow from flowing into the cottage. The group then resumed their discussion, as Gus started first.

"Right then... Casca, I just want to ask you one question. Did anything of significance happen before we managed to find you?" Gus asked.

"Anything before Albion is nothing interesting. Cutting down foolish bandits, steering clear of the spreading plague... But near Albion, that's when I met Luca and Yuna. They helped me survive in the harsh conditions, and kept me fed well with their own share of the food. I felt bad that I could do nothing to repay them, but I am satisfied that they've managed to escape all of the chaos at the tower, before it occurred."

"Hm, funny. You literally talked with the damn goddess of Chaos herself, and you're acting like she's some typical acquaintance..." Reimu answered back, before she then smirked. "Heh, now that's really interesting. If she actually helped you, then she wasted no time with her cryptic trolling bullshit, and went straight for the help. I guess that she knows that messing up is a stupid thing to do in this place."

"Wait, could you repeat that...!?" Judeau exclaimed. "Yuna... was a goddess?"

"Yep, not kidding." Reimu answered back. "I'm sure that Richard wouldn't be happy if I blabbed about it, but who cares now? It's not like knowing would harm you. In fact, it'll be helpful if you meet her again. She's likely watching over us like the creepy stalker like she is, and she's so subtle with it that you won't even be able to sense her peeking at you, let alone see and catch her. Yuna... I bet she made that name up from a part of her first name, Yukari."

"What is this Yukari, capable of?" Guts asked.

"Lots. And I mean a lot." Reimu responded back. "Typically, she just screws around using her own sukimas, the same ones that you have seen Richard use, although with considerably greater mastery compared to him, and uses simple magic to mess around with people. But that ain't what she's famous for. The reason she's a real chaotic goddess, is because of the fact that she is able to literally twist the meanings and values of concepts, through her signature border manipulation. Whatever you can think of, she is almost certainly able to achieve said thing with the use of a single border, several if its complicated enough. That includes swapping day and night with a single snap of her fingers, turning things into other things with no limitations, and literally neutering almost anyone of their abilities and powers, if they really warranted it from her, whether through irritation or acknowledgement, the latter regarding the threat said person holds against the current situation. All in all, she's a person that you should be glad is just doing things for the sake of it, and does not harbour a single malicious intention towards you or your world, because if she did, the world would have been screwed over quite hard, and there would be nothing that anyone could do, not even the God Hand, and not even whatever 'God' they serve. That's Yukari Yakumo, the most powerful being in Gensokyo, and possibly the entire multiverse, bar a few individuals that I might not know of, and wish that I keep it that way."

Guts, Casca and Judeau were stunned, as they were astonished by the description that Reimu gave them about 'Yuna', as Casca was left completely shell-shocked, as her jaw was slightly open.

"Yeah, hearing all that, that reaction was to be expected." Reimu scoffed. "I mean, if the God Hand can't descend down to fix the shit themselves... Then Yukari's leagues above them, and I say this through a lot of experience. So, I guess that you should feel lucky that she was interested in you, or is it unlucky, considering what she mostly does to people who pique her interests."

"Alright, I think that's enough about talking about some goddess who is powerful enough to turn this world inside out." Judeau quickly changed the topic. "Ah, wait... Where's Rickert?"

Almost on cue, Rickert came in, holding a large bundle of wood, followed by Richard, who was carrying a ton of wooden boards himself, looking not the slightest bit exhausted while doing so. When Rickert saw Casca and Judeau, he dropped the pile of wood in his arms in surprise, the wood clattering on the ground.

"Casca...? Judeau...? Guts...?" Rickert stated, before his expression turned into one of pure relief. "You're all back in one piece...!"

"Yeah, you think that I was going to be taken out that easily out there, Rickert?" Guts smirked back.

Richard then slowly organised the wood he was carrying into small piles, before he returned to the group.

"Alright... So, what did I miss?" Richard asked them.

"Reimu prattling on about Yukari being the blonde woman with the purple dress, that took care of Casca before." Meiling explained back.

"Oh. That explains those stunned faces I saw briefly when I came in." Richard nodded. "Well, I guess I'll put it out there, since the Skeletal Knight didn't mention it before. I'm sort of her disciple, not in the religious sense, but in the educational sense. Hell, that's why I can make those portals myself, and have magic this powerful to wreck almost anything that tried to pick a fight with me directly. In fact, anything short of a God Hand member is of any concern to me, because I have enough power and plans to deal with varying level of threats."

"I see..." Casca stated. "That would explain why you're this powerful, you inherited some of her power yourself through tutelage."

"Right on the money." Richard answered back. "By the way, it's getting dark quickly out there. If I may suggest, we should rest early. Who knows what might happen in the damn late night? We get ambushed by a new breed of monsters who are immune to the protections of these mountains?"

"That would be a reasonable source of concern." Judeau muttered.

"Alright then, I'll have Meiling keep watch for the night, just in case something happens." Richard answered back. "Now then, off into the realm of dreams we go!"

The group then got up, as they made their way to the cave, where most of their resting places were, while the others stayed within the cottage, having made their resting places there. The group all managed to get a good sleep, with Meiling standing guard. Although, instead of resting in the cave, Richard sneakily made his way to the cottage, while the others were asleep, and slept over there for the night.

* * *

_The next morning..._

Richard awoken quite early in the morning, as the rest of the group were asleep, consisting of Elma, who was holding a satisfied Puck under one of her arms, Meiling, who finally decided to rest, since her need to watch over the others was gone, with the rising of the early dawn, Gus, who was resting back-first on a hay-stack, and Corrin, who decided to rest upstairs.

Richard then heard the sound of someone knocking on the door, as he quickly equipped his blades, in case it was a threat, before he then made his way to the door, and opened it quickly, finding himself face to face with Griffith, who stared back at him in silence. Richard did the same for a few moments, before he then broke it with a few words.

"Well." Richard remarked back. "I see that you've decided to visit your old friends, right, Griffith?"

"...Yes." Griffith quietly responded back.

Richard then walked out of the door, slowly closing it behind him. "I'm surprised that you managed to get here quite quickly. Only a single night, and you made it from Albion to here." He told Griffith. "I assume that Zodd managed to practice his flying speed to be a proper mount for you?"

"He is my loyal subordinate now." Griffith answered back tersely.

"Right then, I suppose that you want to tell Guts about everything you wanted to tell him, Casca and Judeau." Richard said. "Note that I didn't say that you wanted me, or my group of 'outsiders'. But then again, I don't think that you would turn down a good chat with someone who spent just as long with you. Or do you still hold a grudge for me, after I literally steered you into doing all of this."

Griffith was silent, as he did not have any response to Richard's words. Richard then walked past him, before waving a hand for Griffth to follow.

"Come with me. I know a place where we can have a proper conversation at." Richard told him, as Griffith followed without any complaint.

* * *

_At the graveyard of the Hawks..._

Richard guided Griffith to the centre of the graveyard of swords, before he then turned around to face Griffith again. Griffith was intrigued by the scenery, as he looked around him.

"Like it? This was all Rickert's doings. He got the makings of a good blacksmith. Every single blade made here, they're his creations." Richard told Griffith. "Each one of them were a memorial to every single member of the former Band of the Hawks, who died along the way. "

"Is that so...?" Griffith asked, before he pulled out one of the blades, inspecting it closely, before inserting it back in. "I assume that you have words yourself to speak to me with?"

"Indeed." Richard nodded back, before he then walked closer to Griffith. "You know, I sort of expected that you'd return, but not like this. I guess that whatever happened in the tower, it has changed you once again. When I look you in the eyes, I don't see the malice and despair that your eyes radiated as Femto. I only see clear ambition in them now. Still, that's not much different from back then, although you're more focused on your ambition than ever. And that's both good and bad in my opinion."

"How so?" Griffith asked, curious about Richard's words.

"Well, on the good side, at least it proves that you actually returned to being actually able to feel like a human, although I doubt that you express much anymore, considering everything you have went through." Richard responded back. "And on the bad side... Well, I'll put it this way. You're going to be butting heads with me and Guts eventually, or least... your men and the two of us will. I definitely know that Zodd is not the only one you plan on recruiting for your cause. So how did you persuade him, a offer of giving him a endless supply of battles to satiate his battle-lust, and to give him opportunities to fight someone of the same calibre that we used to be?"

Griffith silently lowered his head, as Richard continued. "So then, what's your new band going to be called?" Richard asked.

"The Reformed Band of the Falcon." Griffith calmly responded back, much to Richard's disdain.

"Really? How original, Griffith." Richard clicked his tongue. "Ah well, I can't judge you for that alone. Although I have a better question for you now. All these swords... They are what else remained of your fellow men, save the memories that burned inside all of us. How do you feel, Griffith? Do you feel regret that you have laid these lives down to achieve your ambition, or a sense of solemn duty, that these serve as reminders that your only path from onward is to continue pursuing your dream, even if it may be a dream in the end?"

Griffith shook his head. "No, I feel nothing at all." Griffith answered back.

"A shame. If this was you before, you would have felt either of the two." Richard answered back. "Goes to show how people can change under certain influences. But then, another question, and one that I have been dying to know."

Richard then swiped one of the sharper blades out of the snow, raising its point right near Griffith's neck, as Richard's expression turned serious.

"Who do you believe this world needs more? Femto, the Hawk of Darkness, or Griffith, the Hawk of Light?" Richard asked back firmly.

"Why do you ask this?" Griffith questioned back.

"Because if I'm going to make my farewells with you, I'm going to do it properly. I'm not going to be acting all sappy with someone who still hasn't regained his human soul after everything it took to bring you back as a human, for your ambition." Richard explained back. "If you are Femto, then you're undeniably my enemy, since you are the one who took Griffith's place in the plane of existence, and so eradicating you is the only way I can atone for Griffith, if he is truly lost. But if you really are him, or if you maintained both, then I have no reason to slay you now, as long as your ambition doesn't ruin the world."

"...You know the answer to that." Griffith answered back, as he clasped the blade with a hand, holding it tightly. "You and Guts are the only people who made me forget about my own dream, my ambition for a moment. But it's because of that, that I can still understand what it takes to be able to achieve my wish: To obtain a kingdom of my own, one that I will maintain as long as I live. If the world around me must be crumbled to achieve that, so be it, although I prefer not to resort to such destructive methods to achieve that. I have manipulated, I have lied, I have betrayed, but I have no reason to ruin lives, when I am meant to save them."

"So you wish to be a saviour then." Richard remarked back, before he then smirked, as he dropped the blade into the snow. "Well, good luck with that then. I'll tell you this in kindness, being a saviour is harder than it looks. There is no mindset that is truly optimal for the job, so you're going to be dealing with problems that someone like you will find difficult to resolve. The road to such greatness requires many sacrifices. Although I'm your enemy, I hope for the best with you, if you would accept them."

Griffith merely nodded back. "I'll keep that in mind." He answered back.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of hurried footsteps through the snow, as Richard and Griffith turned around, seeing Guts rushing towards them, as the rest of the group were following after him. Beside him was Casca, Judeau and Rickert, who were surprised to see Griffith before them.

Richard silently side-stepped away from Griffith, for good reason, as Guts was about to rush Griffith with a murderous expression on his face, with his great-sword raised. However, he was immediately restrained by Judeau, Rickert and Casca.

"W... Wait a minute...!" Rickert exclaimed. "You can't just... That's Griffith! He's the one we recognise! So why... Why are you drawing your blade, Guts!?"

"Move, all of you!" Guts roared, as he struggled in the grip of his comrades. "That's... That's not the Griffith we know anymore...! He died back in the Eclipse, in order for their twisted lord Femto to be born!"

Judeau then saw that Guts's Brand was bleeding heavily, as he was surprised to see that Griffith was still a demon, despite how human he looked. He then turned to Richard, who was close to Griffith, also fairly distanced away from him.

"Richard... Is he...?" Judeau asked.

"I would like to give you hope by saying that Griffith is there, and yes, he is there, as himself." Richard answered back solemnly. "But then, I would crush them, in saying that this Griffith is still a demon, regardless of how he looked. All the while near him, my Brand ached the same way it did when we met Femto for the first and only time. And in his eyes, most of his emotion has been tapered off, although not all of it. Actually, I don't know how he's like this myself. But I know for sure, this Griffith isn't interested on going back to us at all."

"All the more reason to cut him down...!" Guts growled, as he continued to struggle. "I'm not going to let some sort of demon run around wearing his flesh like some sort of twisted costume!"

"Guts... It seems that all these years, you never changed." Griffith calmly responded back, before a faint smile appeared on his lips. "You always swung first, talked later. It's actually quite relieving for me, to know that some things don't change, despite everything. No, rather... You're the way you were when we first met."

Guts's expression scrunched up further, seeing the smile of Griffith's face, as his anger grew further.

'_You bastard...! That face... That smile...! Don't talk to me in that same voice and face!_' Guts furiously thought. "What the hell would you come here for!?"

"To see you all." Griffith simply answered, as Guts froze where he was. "It was far too turbulent at that tower, and you already left when the battle ended. So I searched for you all to here. When I look around, this place seems to be more fitting for our reunion, the Band of the Hawk... assembling once more."

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT NAME! YOU'RE NOT WORTHY OF IT, AFTER YOU THREW IT TO THE DEMONS!" Guts screamed with pure fury, as his struggles restarted, as Judeau and Casca were having problems trying to restrain their enraged comrade now.

"Griffith... What do you really want from now?" Judeau asked back.

"You already know my dream, Judeau. No... All of you do." Griffith answered back, before he placed a hand over his chest. "I came here to know for certain... whether anything will shake my heart, while I stand before you in this new body of flesh..."

He then looked over Casca, who looked at him with conflicted emotions, and Judeau who had a expression of curiosity on his face, and Guts, who directed his entire brunt of rage towards him, then at Richard, who had a expression of stoicness, then at the rest of the group, who were either confused or suspecting. When he looked at Casca, he felt a slight burst of emotion, one of relief.

"It seems that... Although I still feel... I am still... free from all of you." Griffith stated.

As if the words flipped a switch in Guts, he immediately stopped caring about the safety of his comrades, as he bodily shoved the three of them off him, as he ran into a sprint. "You mean... after what you did... after all those you betrayed... You don't... You don't feel anything at all!?"

"I'll not... betray my dream for mere sentiment, Guts." Griffith declared. "You of all people should know that."

Guts lets out a bestial roar in response, as he slams his blade down with full intent to kill, to cleave the white-haired warrior before him in twain. However, his attempt was blocked by another blade, as Zodd appeared before them, in the same attire that he was in years ago when they first met.

"Long time... no see, Black Swordsman and company...!" Zodd grinned wildly. "You did well to survive, despite my prediction! It pleases me, boy!"

"Z-Zodd...!? So he was here all along!?" Casca exclaimed with shock.

"This isn't good..." Judeau remarked, as he reached for his throwing knives. "Guts won't walk out of this fight uninjured, if he doesn't have aid-"

"Stop." Gus stated, as he placed a hand on Judeau's hand. "Guts is handling himself fine. I know that you're concerned that this is Zodd of all people. But remember that Guts have progressed quite well himself. He may not be strong enough to win, but he's definitely more of a match against Zodd than before."

Judeau watched the fight, as Guts and Zodd clashed blades multiple times, the sound of metal scraping ringing through the air again and again, as the weapon that Zodd had, a large saber with a bend on the end of the blade. Neither of them could land a blow against each other, as they either blocked or dodged their attacks against each other. Even when Zodd tried to stagger Guts with a elbow-smash to his blade, Guts recovered quickly enough to give Zodd a surprise attack, that the larger warrior dodged by jumping backwards.

"Magnificent! As a human, you've done well to attain such discipline and skill! I wanted to cross swords with you again this way, now that you have lived through such carnage! I am truly excited, after so long!"

"What is this...? Why're you with Griffith!?" Guts demanded. "Move aside! My business is with him!"

"Words lack elegance on the battlefield! If you desire him, then force your way past me!" Zodd roared back.

They then re-engaged each other, as the group were in awe, seeing that the fight between Zodd and Guts was almost fairly even.

"Woah... This doesn't compare to how he dealt with all those other monsters..." Isidro remarked with surprise. "This guy... He's literally batting Guts's sword away through pure strength, and he's not leaving any gap for Guts to cut into! This is a whole another level, compared to those dumb freaks he usually deals with!"

Guts and Zodd then entered into a rush of slashes, as their blades batted against each other over and over. However, Zodd noticed that his saber was beginning to crack against Guts's large blade. Almost immediately, he moved his other hand over to one of the swords in the snow, drawing it and using it to attack Guts from both sides, forcing himself to go onto the defensive, as Zodd mercilessly beat his swords down on Guts's blade.

"He... He actually used the field to his advantage...!?" Gunter remarked. "A truly clever and dangerous opponent indeed..."

However, Zodd was not the only one who used the environment to his advantage, as Guts lured Zodd back while guarding, before he found the opportune moment to drive one of the blades into Zodd's abdomen, by using his boot to uproot one of the blades, and kick it right into Zodd, causing him to grunt in pain and cease his assault, as the blade's point dripped blood through the other side of his body. Guts fell back, as he slowly got up, reforming his stance.

Griffith felt something, watching the battle between Zodd and Guts occur, as it was a emotion of longing, something that he didn't wish to feel. However, he did his best to hide it from everyone present, silently watching the battle continue to unfold.

"Splendid... Splendid! A human who survived the Eclipse... Your strength alone has gotten you through even battles with apostles. I like to amuse further with this sword dance of ours, but it seems this horse-slayer I stole from the Kushan doesn't quite match up to that demon-slayer of yours!" Zodd remarked, as he raised his blade horizontally, while using the other hand to pull the bloody blade out of his abdomen, all while the white fog of a transforming apostle began to enshroud him. "It is a splendid sword for a splendid warrior with technique to match! But... I've not yet tasted enough! I HAVE NOT HAD MY FILL YET, BOY!"

"He's transformed...!" Link exclaimed. "This is bad... We need to-"

Before anyone could react, a sukima swallowed Guts up from below him, before Richard popped out of it, as Guts was sent behind the group, as his legs were in sukimas, as if to prevent him from moving.

"Alright, that's enough out of you, Guts." Richard remarked, as he then drew his blades. "The rest... Let me handle this."

"Oi, the fuck are you doing!?" Guts exclaimed. "Let me go! I need to deal with Griffith now!"

"You're not going to get Griffith while Zodd is still here." Richard stated. "Save your strength when I've taken him down. If Griffith is still a demon, I doubt that you're going to get him easily. Remember that Griffith was a former God Hand member. His reincarnation did little to diminish his powers."

Guts growled silently, while Richard faced Zodd, who was intrigued by Richard taking to the battlefield.

"Oh? You would challenge me also...?" Zodd asked with a grin on his snout.

"You said that I wasn't using all of my power before, when we first fought. That was because I purposely restrained myself to maintain the facade as a human" Richard responded back, before raising both of his blades. "But now, the veils have been torn off. You will get the wish that you have wanted long ago: A serious fight with me. I assure you, I will kill you, if you won't take me seriously as well."

"Hah! Truly splendid! Now show me! Show me the power that has been displayed in the Eclipse!" Zodd roared, as he charged at Richard.

Richard charged at Zodd, as he threw earthen pillars up towards Zodd, who dashed back to avoid them, before Richard ran up them, and leaping towards Zodd with his blades drawn. Zodd threw a punch at Richard, who resisted against it with a cross-strike with both blades, as the attacks were evenly matched, sending monster and saviour away from each other slightly. Richard quickly twisted to land on the ground.

Richard then traced a magic circle in front of him, as it turned into a orange colour, before it then spewed a fountain of magma right at Zodd, who took the air to avoid the molten spray, which melted snow and metal alike. However, he didn't react in time to avoid several wind projectiles that Richard fired with each swing of his blades, as they cut into his flesh, through the dense and durable fur covering him. He then retaliated by diving at Richard with a claw-strike, sending Richard flying back a bit, but not before throwing a large shard of ice that Zodd broke with a swipe of his claws.

Richard then quickly took control of the shattered ice shard, as he directed them back at Zodd, with most of them hitting their mark, yet they did little to effect the apostle, who were durable enough to shrug the blows off. Richard then reversed his flight direction, directly charging at Zodd. At the precise moment, he threw a fireball right into the face of the furred apostle, causing him to grunt in pain, as he swept the flames away from his face, but not before crashing into the cave where Guts and most of the group rested in, as Rickert was devastated.

"That's... Master Godo's mine...!" Rickert exclaimed, as rocks from above buried Zodd, who didn't move at all.

"Damn... Sorry that happened." Antonio told Rickert with a sympathetic tone.

Richard didn't react at all, as he stared at the rock-pile Zodd was underneath, as he clicked his tongue. "Come now. Where the fight you promised, Zodd?" Richard asked back. "Just a few clashes, and you have been worn down like this...? Zodd... I am truly disappointed, if you really have thrown yourself in a self-destructive charge to knock yourself out of the right. So get up, and let us continue."

"He wants more...!?" Isidro exclaimed.

"Trust me, Richard is capable of more than you think, Isidro." Gus told him.

Zodd then erupted out of the rock pile, roaring, as it sent the entire pile flying into the air, scattering everywhere around the group. Some even were on their way on landing on the group. However, with Meiling's strength and Antonio's speed, all of the rock were destroyed, before anyone could be in any danger. The beastly apostle looked like that he didn't take as much damage as the other assumed, although crashing into the cave did harm him.

"That's enough Zodd." Griffith stated, as Zodd turned to him. "We will be going soon, but not before I speak with all of you."

Zodd looked at Griffith for a moment, before he complied, disengaging from the battle. Griffith walked forward, until he was in front of the group.

"Casca... I would like to ask if you would come closer to me." Griffith stated.

Casca didn't move, as she didn't know what to do, since she knew that Griffith wasn't the same, yet a part of her wanted to be close to him, the side that was devoted to him. After seeing that most of the group were happy to let her go, and seeing Richard nod his head gently to gesture for her to continue, she did so, although slowly and carefully.

When Casca was in front of Griffith, she stared deeply into his shining eyes, as she felt a sense of familiarity in them. "Griffith..." She muttered gently.

Much to everyone's surprise, Griffith then wrapped his cloak around Cacca in some sort of embrace, as Griffith leaned his head towards Casca's own, until their cheeks were barely apart from each other.

"Although I do not regret what I have done, I regret that I have harmed people as loyal as you, and people who are as close to me as you and Guts." Griffith stated.

"Griffith..." Casca repeated, before tears leaked from her eyes, as she placed a hand on Griffith's cheek, which felt slightly cold to touch. "Why did you have to do all of this...? I know that you were forced to do all of this... But you didn't have to do this to all of us... You didn't have to abandon and betray us."

"...It was all necessary for the pursuit of my dream." Griffith responded back, closing his eyes for a moment. "I can easily understand that none of you would find it within yourself to forgive me for what I have put you all through. And I don't expect you all to. All I did is to bid you all farewell, as I will create my own kingdom with a new band to lead its forces."

He then released Casca, who fell to her knees, trying to wipe the tears from her face, before turning away. "Let us go, Zodd." He stated, walking towards the apostle.

Zodd picked up Grififth in his hand, as he spread his wings out, preparing to fly, as Judeau quietly watched on, knowing that Griffith's words, although harsh, were mostly true. He felt a twinge of sadness, that the Band of the Hawk, the one who survived, would meet one last time here where the graves were erected. Richard decided to release Guts at this moment, as Guts collapsed on the floor, although with his legs free for him to use. He quickly stood up, watching Zodd flap up into the air.

"Wait...! Where are you-" Guts shouted.

"I told you all once... I will get my own kingdom." Griffith answered back. 'Nothing has changed."

"...Then hope that we do not cross blades again." Richard responded back. "I hope that the kingdom you will create, will not be a lair of despair and darkness... But a genuine beacon of light and hope for what remains of humanity. We will remain at opposite ends of the conflict... So enjoy our last civil chat for a long time, Hawk of Light. Next time we meet, it will not be as friendly."

"And the same will go to you all." Griffith stated. "All of you... Guts, Casca, Judeau and Rickert. Nothing has ended either. Your dreams still exist, if not reborn through this conflict. If you hate me, then I will bear that hate without any ill will. I have no reason to actively harm those who I have thrown into suffering already. But if you still pursue my dream... Know that I have no cause to refuse either of you. You deserve that much."

Judea, Casca and Rickert were silent, considering those words. However, for Guts, who didn't believe in those words, quickly loaded his rapid-firing crossbow, and aimed it at Zodd and Griffith. "You say nothing has changed..." Guts growled. "After everything you did, you dare say that!?"

The crossbow bolts flew harmlessly through the air, as if some force was directing them away from their intended targets.

"You should have known, Guts. This is the man I am." Griffith stated, not turning back. "You, of all people... Should know that."

Soon, the both of them flew over the horizon disappearing, leaving the group alone.

"...Guts, are you going to still pursue Griffith across the lands?" Richard asked Guts.

"Damn right I do. If you say that I'm still not strong enough to take him down... Then I'll just keep on tearing through apostles, until I'm at his level! Then I'll kill him and make him pay for what he did to all of us!" Guts roared.

"I see. Then we should decide where we'll live from now on. Without the cave..." Richard stated, glancing over at the cave, which was caved in by Zodd's impact. "...We don't have a proper home anymore to stay safe in."

"I'm going too! You all carried the heavy burden of the world by yourselves...!" Rickert exclaimed."And while I could only watch my friends fight in a world, while I remained comfortable by myself in a place like this! Take me with you, Guts! I was... I was a Hawk as well!"

"I'm afraid that we can't agree to that." Richard responded back, as he placed a hand on the young boy's head. "Where we are going, people like you wouldn't survive long. And you're the only Hawk that will remain, should we all perish. If you go, then the Hawks are truly gone forever. But if you live on... There will be a chance that you will be the new Hawk to lead the dawn. So please... stay with Erica and take care of her. You have been with her for almost 2 years, so she should make a proper spouse for you, when time passes."

"...Richard..." Rickert muttered, before Richard hugged Rickert, surprising.

"Now go... Alrhough you are a Hawk, you don't need to share the blood-stained fate that we are chained to." Richard whispered quietly. "Like Griffith told us... We are free to pursue our dreams. So don't throw your life away to help us with a vengeance that no-one should have to bear. Live on, and prove that there is still life and hope within this dark world."

Rickert looked up, before he nodded, as he then turned to head back to the cottage, where Erica was, as the group looked amongst each other.

"Casca... Judeau..." Guts muttered. "You guys... You shouldn't-"

"Don't bother. I'm not the kind of person to be sitting around, when the world is getting dire around us." Judeau interrupted. "If you're going to go on fighting, then I'm coming as well. Hawks should always stick together, with the exception of Rickert, thanks to Richard's reasoning. I've fared well against the deamons during our journey, and I don't plan on being a burden like I was back in the Eclipse"

"What about you, Casca?" Corrin asked the brown-haired and brown-skinned warrior.

"Judeau is right. It's because this world has gone to ruin, that there is more reason that we should stick together." Casca responded back. "I endangered myself by chasing after you, in the false pretence that you were all in danger somehow. But after seeing the fights you had, I believe that its the opposite. You were all more than capable to handle the danger. Although I am not much, I refuse to sit by, and let myself waste away watching you all fight for me. I was the one who took Doldrey for the Hawks, and I have been Griffith's right hand before. I am more than capable of handling a few demons on my own."

Guts then looked at Casca, before he then smiled, at the fact that Casca's spirit was still strong as ever. "But that doesn't answer the question of where we will go from then on." Guts stated. "Anywhere we go, with the Brands on me, Richard and Casca... We're literally a walking lantern in the deep darkness, completely exposed for all those demons and spirits to see and assault us." Guts stated.

"So we need to find another ground enchanted by elves..." Elma muttered, before she then recalled something. "Wait, PucK?"

"Yes, Elma...?" Puck asked, peeking out the demoness's cloak for a moment.

"Do you know any other elf dwellings in this land?" Elma asked.

Puck then pondered for a moment, as he was thinking hard, from the strained expression on his face, before he then thought about it. "Actually, there is a place. A bit far, but it's a beautiful paradise probably safer than anywhere in this world. I think that it would be a safe place to be around in, or to set our new home at. It would be my own home... Elfheim."

* * *

_A few hours of preparation later..._

The group were right in front of the cottage, as Rickert and Erica were both there to see their friends off.

"So, you can't even stay one more night?" Rickert asked.

"I doubt that the elves' protections would last long enough." Richard answered back. "When I sensed around, Zodd's clumsy work weakened the spell enough to make it dangerous to stay around, with three Brands present in the same area. I rather not risk your lives, when I was the one who stated that you should keep them safe."

Elma hugged Erica, who was terribly sad to see them leave again, as Puck tried to comfort her with some shoulder pats. After a while, the group started their journey, as they trudged through the snow, down the mountain, and into the vast land before them.

* * *

_Several days later..._

The group were surrounded by demonic snow-beasts, who were entirely made of snow, created by the vengeful spirits of the dead, all while within a fairly large blizzard, as the snow hit their exposed skin. While some of them had protection from the biting cold, others didn't, as they endured it, letting the adrenaline counter the sense of numbness brought by the cold weather.

"There's no end to them! Not like that's new at all!" Puck shouted.

"You don't say!?" Antonio shouted back, as he managed to defeat several of them with a string of strikes. "Man, this cold stinks hard! I'm feeling my own fingers grow numb swinging this blade around and around!"

"Shut up and keep fighting!" Reimu shouted, as he used ofuda to cleanse the snow monsters, causing them to crumple back into ordinary snow. "The more you waste your damn breath talking, the more heat you're leaking out of your body!"

"Snow beasts... Hoo boy, and here I thought, these were just fairy tales." Judeau remarked, cutting down the monsters. "Then again, with the world now, fairy tales come to life easily nowadays."

"Luckily that my own weapon can handle these damned spirits." Casca stated, as she gracefully weaved through the blows of the monsters, countered with strong strikes with her weapon.

"Yeah, these weapons I have... They're tailored to fight them. Not as powerful as our personal weapons, but reliable enough, that I can easily replace them, if they ever shatter in the midst of battle." Richard responded back.

The group slowly endured the blizzard, as the monster numbers slowly thinned out, before they managed to reach a small clearing, where they set up camp for a moment, as Gus created a bonfire, for the group to roast their meat, and cook their raw vegetables on. As the group rested and eaten their fill of nutrition and energy, Guts turned to Puck, who was nibbling gently on a corn cob.

"Puck." Guts asked, as Puck grunted, with several kernels shoved comedically into his mouth. "What kind of place is your homeland?"

Puck then swallowed the corn kernels slowly, before he then smiled and pridefully described it. "Well, you see, it's a great place! Elfheim.. A utopia gloating in the sea far to the west. Everywhere, flowers are blooming, birds are singing, elves like me dancing about, an elfin paradise of eternal spring, open year round. Oh! My beautiful homeland!"

"If it's so nice, why did you leave?" Guts retorted back.

"Me? I just got bored." Puck plainly answered back.

There was a awkward silence that followed, before Virion took part in the conversation. "You know... Although I could not understand how mere boredom would cause you to leave such a miraculous place, I think that you might have a good reason other than that, to leave. Perhaps a tragic event."

After a while, night fell onto the group, as they took the moment to take rest. Richard was the first to doze into sleep, as the others followed slowly.

* * *

_After an hour or two...?_

Richard slowly woke up to the sound of shuffling footsteps ahead of him, as his senses slowly came to him. He could hear the energetic crackling of the bonfire around him. He decided to open his eyes, although he was met with a grisly sight.

He looked around, and saw that his entire group was slaughter, as there was blood sprayed everywhere. Everyone was dead in one way or the other, although the intriguing thing was how they died. Link was beheaded, as his head was set neck-first onto the ground, as his Master Sword was impacted through his neck. Gus had a expression of terror on his face, as everything up to his torso was burnt to black ashes, and some of his face was burned off cleanly, showing the bleached skull underneath. Reimu's body was impaled by a multi-pronged golden blade, which seemed to make Richard twitch slightly, as he recognised the blade himself. Antonio's quills, who was in his hedgehog form instead of his human form that he was using now, were forcefully removed, as they were jabbed through the front of his body, with one between his eyes.

As for Meiling, her fate was much less pleasant, as there was a large hole in her chest, as her expression was completely soulless, and inside that hole was a void, right where her heart was supposed to be. As Richard wondered where her heart went, he saw that Corrin was in pieces, with her bloodied weapon laid by where those pieces were, and Gunter, who was pinned to a tree by a lance through his chest, as he looked completely shrivelled up, as if something sucked the moisture, or the life right out of his elderly body. For Velouria, being a wolf-kin herself, her body was riddled claw and bite marks, and most of her flesh was torn out, especially her torso, where her entrails were exposed for all to see, with bits and pieces missing. Virion's body was ridding with arrow, as arrows pierced every single part of his body, from his head to his feet, like a pincushion for arrows. As for Elma, Richard felt a twinge of rage, as the demoness was subjected to the same fate that killed her back in her home-world, as her head was torn off, except her body was nailed to a wooden cross, that was erected centre-front to Richard. He then found Meiling's heart, which was pinned to the bottom of the cross, ruptured and broken.

As for the others in the group? Judeau laid dead, with many holes through his torso, kneeling down, Guts's body, or what remained of it, the upper half, was pinned to the side of a tree by his own blade. Casca herself looked like she had been crushed to death by some sort of unknown force, as her entire naked body was riddled with blood-marks and all her orifices were dripping blood, even through her privates and bottom. Isidro looked like that he was stabbed many times over, through his entire young body. And Puck, despite being an elf, wasn't spared from the slaughter, as his limbs were torn off, and he had a dagger through his mouth.

Despite this horrible sight, Richard's expression did now show neither rage, nor sorrow, or fear. He didn't even feel any disgust at the horrid deaths of his friends.

In fact, Richard then looked silently at the scene for a moment, before he then let his lips rise up, as he began to chuckle, as it then erupted into utterly ravenous laughter, which stopped short after a while.

"Seriously... Seriously...?" Richard muttered with a utterly dry tone. "A 'All your friends are dead' nightmare. How very predictable and cliche. Whoever is making this nightmare, if you're going to throw me into one, at least make it more realistic, you fucking noob. There are so many things wrong with this, that you would have made a failing grade on 'creating false dream-scapes', in a class where everything passed it. This is the most pathetic effort to try and leech off my fear."

After a few moments, the footsteps came closer, as Richard saw a figure come out the dark shadows, and into the light of the bonfire. When he saw who it was, his lips raised to a smile, albeit a mocking one.

"Well, well." Richard stated, as he examined the person before him, as it was a woman dressed in a grey leather jacket with a large collar, as well as a crimson long skirt underneath it. and long leather boots. She also had several leather belts wrapped around her waist like a sash, and she had long pink hair, that has been tied into a loose ponytail. She also had a red eye, since her left one was covered by a black eye-patch. She also wielded a refined katana in her hands. "Look what Schrodinger's cat dragged in, someone that I'm both joyous and pissed to see here. Now then, aren't you going to go into that drivel about purification and despair? I wonder how you're going to play this."

"Even while your friends lay dead before you, you still act so defiant towards me." The lady spoke back with a sadistic tone, as a twisted smile crept on her face. "I wonder... Have I truly broken you, that you don't even know what you are right now?"

"Don't I...?" Richard asked back, tilting his head slightly. "Ha, that's a laugh. You, breaking me? Sure, that happened before. But now? You think that this fazes me the slightest? Please, I have seen the real you in action. This is a mercy compared to what you would actually done to them. Besides, I don't believe this dream crap. My friends, dead just like that? Please. Even if it's you of all people, they're strong enough to survive a fight with you. You may be powerful, but you aren't omnipotent, no matter how much of those gods and goddesses you try to pile up in that cache of divinity you always hold with you."

"So what...? You think that you can change anything?" The cruel lady answered back, before she let her head fall back, letting out a round of deranged laughter. "You couldn't save them before, and you still can't now! What makes you think a lowly wretch like you stands any chance against someone like me?"

"Oh, really, that's how you're going to play that?" Richard barked in laughter. "Please. You're the reason I'm like this, the reason why you played yourself, as the memers would put it. You created a self-destructive chain of events, and you reaped what you sow. Funny thing is, I have a hard time taking your measly taunts and empty threats seriously, because of the fact that... well, I don't know... that you don't even exist anymore? The fact that you don't even have a single shred of power to do a single thing to existence itself, even the most simplest action of being. Face it, the only way you exist now, is a repressed memory, powerless and without authority. I'm sure that your pride is so heavily wounded by that fact. And you know what? That pleases me, because watching you squirm is cathartic, no matter how many times I watch it."

The lady suddenly fell silent, as Richard then stood up. "But I actually have to thank you, however I despise it, having to say such words that you are absolutely unworthy of receiving at all." Richard stated. "I have to thank you, for actually allowing me to progress, by breaking my own limits. Through all those battles with you, every single loss I experienced, every single attempt of breaking your armies down, I grew stronger and stronger. Maybe not enough to take you down once and for all, but you were the catalyst for what I considered to be my most prodigious breakthrough... You forced me to not only embrace my own inner darkness... But you forced me to meld together with it, gaining power beyond mortal understanding, and earning that forbidden power that wiped your damned universe off the face of existence. Thanks to you, I'm no longer a naive fool, who thinks that friendship, kindness, and equality would fulfil my dreams, but instead someone who is capable of using both logic and emotion as effective tools to my own use. You left me with a heart torn apart into millions of pieces, allowing me to gain understanding and control over my psyche. I may be still young in terms of the lifespan of a immortal, but I matured more than what many beings of my calibre would have, living through the hell of your own making."

"So then... What are you going to do. Are you just going to stand there, spouting useless crap... Or are you going to try and teach me a lesson like you did many times before..." Richard remarked, as he pushed his face into the face of the woman, with a smirk on his lips. "...Lady Yorihime...?"

Yorihime's expression twisted in rage, as Richard's smirk only grew in response.

"And that's why I know that you're nothing but a fake, trying to pretend like you are her." Richard stated, before pressing a finger under her chin in a mocking gesture. "The real Yorihime would never lose her calm like that. It's nearly impossible for a narcissistic and psychotic bitch like her. The only emotions that people see from her is sadistic glee, that's all. So run along now, you can't do anything to me, even if you tried."

Yorihime snarled, before she snapped her fingers, as Richard found himself surrounded by a nearly-endless horde of futuristic soldiers, all who looked like Reisen, with their bunny ears, female appearances, and the red eyes they bore. Within the horde of soldiers were also various vehicles, from a simple recon van to a mobile fortress, as their weapons were aimed at Richard. And right above them all, titans of golden metal towered over him, all bearing resemblance to Buddhist figures. Richard gazed over the army surrounding him, as he scoffed.

"What did I say?" Richard remarked. "You really think that just because you're the intruder... You've got the advantage in my own dreamscape? Yes, your powers to twist reality within the dreams is commendable, if you managed to recreate the entire Lunarian army from scratch with a snap of your fingers. But... I know that they're merely paper tigers. You can't recreate them at full power. I could easily annihilate a considerable portion of them with a wave of my hand and a simple area-wide spell. But as for me...?"

Richard then flipped his hand over, as he flicked his fingers open, as a dark black flame appeared on it, before a pitch black darkness crawled up his arm, staining every single part of the skin, before it then ran up Richard's neck from the left side, before it then rooted into the left side of Richard's face, as the eye on that side of the face, turned a eerie purple.

"Here... You forget that this is my dreamscape. You might have been able to manipulate the dreamscape of simple ordinary humans, barring them any access to their dreams... But for me, you can only impose control, while mine remain as strong as ever, as my own soul is refined beyond your pathetic imagination." Richard responded back darkly. "You made a truly terrible mistake, trying to fight me here. Here... I am GOD, and you are nothing but a insolent intruder in my domain. I could annihilate you with a snap of a finger, like a certain titan, or I could use that dark power to no consequence, since this is merely fantasy, so I am in control of what I do and what I am fully here. In fact, why not do that? I'm sure that you would like to see the power that eradicated your diseased universe. The power that I tore you over and over with, as I relished every moment of karmic retribution I have unleashed onto you. I enjoy watching you hopelessly try to struggle, as I slain those gods you rely upon one by one, until you are rendered without a god or goddess to rely on. Not even you trump card, Amaterasu, stood a chance back then. What makes you think that I've weakened at all? No, in fact, I'm much stronger. Combine that with the forbidden power... You stand no chance of winning against me, not even if you pulled the most suicidal or well-conceited plan you have."

Suddenly, Richard's darkness began to retreat down his arm, before it was then reabsorbed back into the dark flame over his palm, before he quashed it with a quick closing of his hand.

"But I won't do that." Richard answered back. "Like I said, it's pointless trying to waste my own mind-power trying to deal with a mere phantom such as you. No, I'm just going to leave this place, and get onto my actual sleep. If you want to stop me, then I hope you're ready to die then."

"You cannot stop me! I will kill you over and over, no matter how long it takes with your accursed immortality!" Yorihime growled.

"Who said that I'm going to fight you?" Richard sneered back, before Yorihime's figure begin to flicker, as the army around them suddenly disappeared.

"What... What di... y... d...?" Yorihime demanded, as her voice was distorted and static-like.

"I'm evicting you." Richard responded back. "I know what you are, incubus. You tried to suction my life while you kept on with this charade. Unfortunately, you should be most aware that the life-force of a immortal is far too great for a demon like you to contain. Not only that, but my body is capable of acting on its own while my mind sleeps. A neat perk that I have learned in my many years training with Meiling, through meditation, although it isn't as good as her mastery of it, but enough so that I have literally driven a dagger right through your stupid eye. Now then, have a nice death."

Yorihime let out a glitched and anguished cry of rage, as she then popped out of existence with a flash of light, leaving Richard with the horrific scene around him.

"Alright, time to refurbish this place." Richard stated, before he then swiped his hand all over, as the corpses of his friends disappeared. "While I'm in my dream... How about..."

Suddenly, Velouria appeared next to him, as her head was laid on his lap, gently sleeping. Richard placed a hand over her head, before he then rubbed her head smoothly, ruffling the ears, and running his fingers through her slightly dirty, but still smooth hair, as Velouria smiled, as her head instinctively moved to feel the petting a bit more.

"Ah... Nothing better than petting a friend of mine to soothe my aching soul." Richard sighed with a blissful expression, as he continued his petting of Velouria's head, before he then realised something. "Ah, wait... I don't think that I'm the only one who is being affected by an incubus. I think I should wake up, and check on the others. After all, these guys could be tormented badly by the nightmares that ensue..."

He then dispelled the dream-construct of Velouria, before he himself popped out of existence.

* * *

_Back in the real world..._

Richard quickly woke up, as he found that the incubus, which was a short and small creature resembling a purple grotesque octopus, with a bulging head, had a dagger through its single eye, as blue blood stained the blade, and was dripping down onto the snow below.

"Hah." Richard chuckled shortly, before he then looked around, as Guts woke out of whatever nightmare he had, stabbing the incubus perched on his shoulder.

Richard then looked around, as the group were assaulted by incubi themselves, all giving them nightmares. Richard locked eyes with Guts, as they formed a silent conversation with each other, before they nodded, as Guts moved to take care of Casca, Judeau, Isidro, Gunter, Virion, and Link, while Richard dealt with the others.

As Richard moved over to where his friends were, he noticed that the incubi were already working their actions of them, as they had uneasy and tormented expressions, although Meiling's one was already destroyed, with pieces of it scattered through the snow, and Meiling sleeping soundly.

"No... stop... please... no... Richard..." Gus muttered, as he tried to hold back tears. "Wake up... It's us... Your friends... Stop this... please...!"

"Damnit... This can't be... Gensokyo... We failed...?" Reimu whispered, as she looked devastated. "No... This cannot happen. No... NO..."

"Father... I'm sorry... Uncle... I'm sorry... Mother... Please..." Antonio whimpered, as he looked like he was alone. "I didn't... I just wanted to... be a hero..."

"Forgive me... We couldn't do anything... Xander... Ryoma... Richard... We failed..." Corrin stated. "Everything... Everything will fall to ruin..."

"Father... No, this can't be... Why would... Why would you kill father...? No, stop... STOP...!" Velouria screamed, as she looked completely torn.

"Father... Father... Please...! Somebody help... Father is...!" Elma shouted with despair. "Stop...! I don't want to see this! I don't to see my father... die...!"

Richard gazed over his teammates, as they looked so helpless and pained in their own nightmares, as it made his heart sink, watching his friends struggle to break free of the hopeless scenes playing before them. With a snap of his fingers, he created several fire-balls, that latched onto the incubi, causing them to detach from their hosts, letting out shrill screams, before they stopping moving altogether.

The freed companions slowly woke up, since their nightmares were cut short, as they slowly opened their eyes, looking at Richard, who was standing over them.

"Richard... Was that..." Gus asked, before he then saw the dead incubi, as well as Guts using his dagger to cut down the rest of them down from the others.

"It seems that the incubus attacked us tonight. I do not know how Meiling didn't notice them, even in her sleep, and that caused all of us to be pinned with nightmares. I fared better than all of you, so it would seem." Richard answered back. "As much as that I'm a little disappointed that you guys couldn't tell what's real and what's not, I cannot truly do that, since it was not your fault that you were thrown in to relive the most horrifying moments of your life, which felt so real to you all. Especially you, Elma... I'm sorry that we didn't protect you properly."

"No... It's fine... I'm sorry for being so weak." Elma muttered back with a weak smile. "I can only do my best to get stronger, so that I won't have to only support you all. I have magic to fight with... but I'm too scared about doing the wrong thing..."

"Courage is something that grows over time." Richard answered back with a wise tone. "You'll learn to bear with your emotions eventually, Elma. We all have, one way or the other."

"Jeez... That's a low blow. Having me watch you all betray my father's tribe..." Velouria growled. "If I find any more of these midgets... I'm going to slice them into ribbons for what they have done to me!"

"I think that we're going to need to erect some barriers, if this is going to occur often." Reimu sighed, before she placed a hand on her forehead. "Good grief... I almost thought for a moment that we literally lost everything just then."

"Wait... where's Puck?" Elma asked, before she then noticed that Puck was being attacked by a immature incubus, which looked more cute than scary, with a eye that had a red iris, and short stubby legs, as well as a almost spherical shape, laying down on a tree branch, with the blue-haired elf panicking, swinging his stinging thistle around, as if trying to drive something away.

"Stay away...! Stay away...! I'm warning you...! I'm really strong!" Puck panicked, while wriggling around. "I won't let you hurt Elma... Even if you are big and bad!"

Richard sighed, before he floated up, before he then plucked the small incubi by the head with two fingers, as it struggled to wriggle out of Richard's grasp, all while letting out cute screeches. Almost suddenly, Puck woke up with a shout, as he looked around.

"What the... So it wasn't real...?" Puck remarked, before he then saw Richard holding the incubus between his fingers. "Oh... That explains it."

"Alright, then I'll just start with this little piece of shit-" Velouria growled, pulling her claws out to slice the incubus to pieces.

"Wait, stop!" Elma shouted, as Velouria turned to her with a furious expression. "A-Actually... I think that this little thing... is a bit cute. Are you sure that it's evil like we have been told?"

"No doubt." Reimu answered back. "Damn thing tried to suck the lifeforce out of me. If Richard didn't wake us up out of it quickly, we would have been quite drained by the time we broke free."

"Don't tell me... you intend to keep it?" Gus asked, as Elma nodded. "Well... I don't think that's a hot idea, Elma. That thing could grow up to ruin us."

"Well, this thing is only a few days old." Richard responded back. "Puck... What kind of nightmare did you find yourself in?"

"It was real bad! It was only Elma and I, and we were surrounded by so many apostles! I was frantic, trying to drive them away with my stinger thistle, as it did something to them, but they didn't stop coming! And I was getting tired, before you woke me up!" Puck explained it.

"Hm... That doesn't sound too bad." Richard responded back. "Well, I heard of demons being tamed. And if there's one who could do it, it's a fellow demon like you. Plus, it's too small to harm anyone but Puck. Why not let it come? I think that we could make things interesting, by giving it a more positive purpose through training, to actually give dreams. I don't think we can fix the life-draining part, but come on, who wouldn't like to die in heaven, rather than hell?"

"...A sound point." Reimu agreed. "Fine, but you're taking responsibility for this creature, got it, Elma?"

"I understand. I might be young, but I know how to take care of a pet." Elma responded back.

"Now then, just got to wake up someone..." Richard remarked, before he walked over to the sleeping Meiling, before he then smacked her with a karate-chop to the nose, which the dragon youkai responded to, by jumping into the air, landing down on her feet, looking frantic.

"I swear I wasn't sleeping on duty, Saku-" Meiling frantically apologised, before she then noticed that it was Richard before her, as her voice died down in her throat. "Oh... I guess that I still have that bad habit in me."

"Ah... Meiling... You seriously interest people in many different ways." Richard sighed back. "Alright, let's check up on the rest."

The others were awake, as they looked fairly healthy, although some of them were confused from what just happened.

"So... incubi?" Judeau asked.

"Incubi." Richard stated back. "Don't worry about another attack in the future, we'll erect a barrier for it."

Reimu did so, as she quickly erected a barrier around the area, using several of her spirit-infused ofuda.

"I'm sure that you had a interrupted rest, so go back to sleep, all of you. I'm sure that we'll be fine in the morning, as long as we go back to sleep immediately." Gus told everyone.

Everyone nodded in agreement, as they all drifted back into sleep in their respective spots, now assured that their sleep will be peaceful for sure this time.

* * *

_The next morning..._

The group were back on the travels, as they were proceeding through a small field, as their journey seemed to be quite uneventful, since no simple group of thieves or bandits would want to mess with the group, especially with both of the people who were famed for eradicating the Lord of Thieves mercilessly.

However, as they travelled on, they were met by a surprising encounter, as the people that they met on the road... were none other than Farnese and Serpico themselves, as they were no longer dressed in the bright armour of the Holy Iron Chain Knights, simply wearing worn green cloaks around their body, and simple clothing on their bodies. Farnese had a white scarf around her neck, while Serpico had leather belts around his waist.

The two groups stopped in their tracks, as Guts and Richard didn't expect to bump into the two of them. Yet, Farnese looked like that she was relieved that she found them, something that unnerved several members of the group, and Serpico was stoic as always."

"...That's interesting." Richard remarked. "I never thought that we would bump into you again, Farnese and Serpico of the Holy Iron Chain Knights."

"Formerly." Farnese responded back. "I resigned from my vocation, after the events at the Tower of Conviction."

"Oh...? Why?" Reimu asked, with a questioning look in her eyes.

"Because..." Farnese answered back, before she then knelt down on the ground quickly without hesitation. "I wish to accompany you all on your travels."

"You WHAT?" Velouria exclaimed, as she looked quite outraged. "You of all people, want to come with us?"

Serpico remained silent, before Farnese turned her head towards him.

"Come on, aren't you going to kneel as well?" Farnese hissed at Serpico, who did so immediately.

"I smell bullshit from them! It's like they're suddenly revealing their hands!" Isidro complained, pointing an accusing finger at Farnese and Serpico. "I bet that they'll wait for a chance to notify the others, for the rest of her cronies to nab us! They're from the Holy See, don't you all remember?"

"Yes... Indeed I do..." Corrin responded back with a bitter expression on her face, being subjected to the atrocities they committed to the commonfolk.

"I tell no lies. I swear under the Lord-" Farnese tried to convince them, before she found herself being held at blade-point by Casca, just under the chin, as the blonde ex-commander froze up.

"I don't want to hear about your thrice-damned lord." Casca snarled with venom. "You helped those bastards kill all those people, and you didn't even bat an eye. No, in fact, I watched you throw the fire into the stakes yourself, and you sure as hell enjoyed it. I'm not going to let someone like you have the chance to throw me onto a stake, as a offering to your accursed God!"

Serpico immediately moved, before he then saw that Velouria, Virion, Antonio, Gunter, Judeau and Guts drew their weapons, as he gave up trying to reach for his own, knowing that he'll only make matters worse by returning the animosity shown by Casca.

"...I... I understand your anger." Farnese responded back. "I have done horrible things, all in my own belief in the order of the world. But now... I no longer have any reason to blindly cling onto faith, after I have seen that I have been abiding those corrupted tenets that the Holy See have made... I truly want to atone for what I did, by seeking the truth, to understand what the true way is. Because only through that way... Will I have the power and will to fight against the swarming darkness around the world, and show the mercy and compassion that I have turned myself away from for so long. So please... forgive me... and show me the way... I no longer have any right to claim I'm a woman of faith, after everything I witnessed."

Everyone was silent, as Casca gritted her teeth, before she then reluctantly lowered her blade, freeing Farnese, before Richard walked up to her.

"...Is this really the only way you believe that you can atone for what you have done, the misery you have spread, the despair you have propagated?" Richard asked sternly. "You know that changing your way is something that mere words cannot trigger. Do you have any way to prove it?"

Farnese bowed her head down, with a solemn expression, before she then reached for her blade. The group were startled, as they were prepared if Farnese were to suddenly attack Richard. However, she only slowly raised her blade to where her pigtails were, and with two flicks of her blades, she severed them from her head, as the clumps of hair dropped to the ground.

"When I was the commander of the Holy Iron Chain Knights, I often ordered for my hair to be braided like this. Because I was told that this hairstyle proves my authority, and proves my faith in God." Farnese remarked. "I severed them, to make the first step to change, like you have said. Yes, words alone is not enough to pay for what I have done, but I am willing to do what it takes to repay all of you, repay those I have wrongfully accused and put to a meaningless death. Someday, I will make amends, and that is the day when I believe that God himself will be able to forgive me, and welcome me into his warm arms, which I have strayed away from for so long..."

Once again, there was silence, before Guts broke it, sheathing the blade. "Jeez, why do priests and nobles got to be so dramatic?" He sighed. "Do what you want. Even if you tried to trick us, we're far too strong to be dealt with. We survived too much to be taken down by your pretty boys. Still, I've killed your comrades, so I don't want to hear you try to keep apologising or pay me back. The others might not care, but for me, we're even. But don't expect me to guide you, leave that to Richard. He's the kind of person with a style fitting to guide and teach. Simply, don't bother me, and I won't bother you back."

"...I suppose that this was going to happen." Richard huffed, before he then walked over to where Farnese is, before putting a hand out. "Well, if you're that determined to change yourself, then I have no reason to deny you. The Lord does not condemn everyone, only those who are irredeemable. Although you have done all these atrocious acts, the fact that you're willing to atone, before it's too late, proves there is a spark of redemption in you, one that can be fostered into a flame reborn of genuine faith. I will take care of you, and show you what God truly wishes for you. I will show you that there is not as much evil in the people, as you believe. And much, much more. So take my hand, and start your journey, as a new woman."

"I... Thank you." Farnese responded, with a grateful smile, as she was pulled up by Richard.

"Tch. Well... Some of us aren't going to be happy." Reimu scoffed. "But still, we dealt with worse people in the past, so I guess we're willing to give her some time to change, before we start judging."

"Trust me, if she messes us up, I won't stop you from trying to chew her out, Reimu." Richard answered back. "But for now, just trust her."

"If she goes, I'm going too." Serpico added. "As her closest companion, it is my duty to do so."

"By all means." Richard smiled. "The more the merrier. Although you're going to need to get up to speed with what we're going to be dealing with."

"...The demons...?" Farnese asked.

"That's right, before he then gestured at Guts's brand. Thanks to the three of us Branded staying in the same place, we're going to be swarmed by spirits and demons day and night, more often in the latter case. You won't be getting a good rest from now on, but at least you're guaranteed to be safe, because we'll take care of them, and train you to fight them."

"Well, who am I to refuse some coaching from someone this experienced on the subject?" Serpico shrugged.

"Alright, let's get a move on. We need to get to a town, before we have to fight some more annoying demons." Guts growled.

The group then continued along the path, two more in number.


	17. Chapter 16

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 16: The Witch of Elfheim, Flora

* * *

_Inside a small swamp in the forest..._

"Oh great, we're surrounded by enemies for all sides." Antonio muttered with a annoyed tone, observing the situation around them.

Gus was occupied in helping Farnese and Casca start a fire large enough to drive the demons away, while the others were already armed for battle, facing their enemies, which were living mud zombies, as some of their skeleton could be seen under the layers of mud, as they rose slowly out of the swamps around them, letting out eerie moans and groans.

"Of all of the monsters... It had to be mud zombies. Damn it all..." Reimu hissed with irritation.

"Hey, Reimu, do you remember that time, where we had to deal with a rebellion of dorotabo youkai?" Richard asked Reimu.

"Don't you FUCKING start!" Reimu cursed back with venom in her tone, and a furious expression. "Do you know how much times washing and scrubbing myself, as well as all of the purification charms I had to make and exhaust, just to get all that enchanted mud off me, when you let me take the full brunt of their attack!? If this turns out the same... I'm going to hog-tie you and stick multiple punishment charms on your fore-head, until you either faint or until I finish scrubbing the mud off!"

"Don't be a drama queen, it won't happen." Richard scoffed, before he then raised his weapons. "Alright, so these things are basically all mud and bones. If we destroy their skeleton well enough, they won't be able to move anymore, meaning that they're effectively done for. Go for blunt blows, if you want to end this quickly. Slashes will likely phase through the mud."

"Right, got that." Guts answered back, before he then twisted his blade around, and used the flat side to squash a mud zombie down, as it pulverised the worn bones, leaving a mud puddle on the face of the blade. "Huh. That's interesting."

Soon the fire was lit up fully, as Gus turned to the others. "The fire's ready! Elma, Farnese, Casca! Come here, it'll protect you!" He shouted, as the three of them did so quickly.

The rest of the group rushed at the mud zombies, clashing with them, as Meiling's chi-enhanced strikes were super-effective against these kind of enemies, as each strike pulverised bone with a single impact, as well as the resonance causing even more bones to break, making them very fragile to the likes of her. The others, although less fortunate, still fared well, as the mud zombies were too sluggish to land a proper hit on them.

But still, the numbers came and came, until Richard decided to use some ice magic to freeze the swamp clean, preventing more of the mud zombies being made. However, in doing so, other kinds of accursed spirits attacked, as they tried to possess the group, although they were wiped out before they could even close to that.

Eventually, dawn broke out, as the spirits began to loosen up their attack, before the group collapsed, relived that they survived another night.

"Hah... We managed to make it after all." Corrin responded back.

"We're too good to fall to the likes of them." Antonio huffed back. "So then... what do you think that we should do in the meantime? We could rest some more, although we're well rested from the last few nights."

"We could go hunting." Serpico suggested. "Our food supplies are getting quite low."

"I'll assist." Virion volunteered.

"Me too, I know how to smell some good game out." Velouria added. "After all, we wolfskins thrive in the wilds."

"Right then, then take them both with you, Serpico." Guts answered back.

Serpico nodded, before the three of them left, as the group moved onto their own activites. Isidro walked over to Corrin, as Richard threw carved wooden sticks at him and Corrin each, as the two of them caught their respective training weapons.

"Go easy on him, Corrin. He's learning, but he's not ready to fight you seriously." Richard told Corrin.

"Don't look down on me! I'll eventually get to your level, and make you submit!" Isidro growled back with a confident tone. "After all, becoming the ultimate swordsman gotta start somewhere right?"

"I'll try my best, but I know that going easy would only hurt his confidence and pride." Corrin answered back.

"Why you...!" Isidro snarled, before he then adjusted his stance for battle, as Corrin did the same.

As the two of them prepared to fight, Richard walked around, scouting around the forest for any threats. When he returned to the group, he shook his head.

"Nothing bad here. We're near the forest's edge, so we'll be likely bump into someone eventually, for directions to the nearest town on the way to Elfheim." Richard told them all.

"Right..." Judeau answered back, as he was back to his hobby of word-carving, creating a crude figure of Velouria's head. "Say, after being with you for a while, I've gotten used to this again, and I'm better than before."

"Mhm..." Richard nodded, before Gunter turned to him.

"That's quite some skill there." Gunter remarked, looking at the fairly-skilled figure in Judeau's hand. "Who did you learn this skill from?"

"It was mostly self-taught." Judeau admitted, as he flicked some more chips of wood off. "I've been working on this for a few days on the way. Decided to go with the girl with the wolf-ears, since I felt like a new topic would spark some inspiration in me."

"Knowing her, she'll be more than happy to take that from you, when it's done, and keep it in her personal collection." Richard chuckled.

"Come on, don't you have anything better to do, than to comment, Richard?" Antonio sighed.

"Nope, although I could just meditate." Richard stated. "Actually, I might just do that, to refine and realign my elemental powers."

He then sat down cross-legged on the ground, before he slowly spread his arms out, as magical power surged through them, in a visible white aura that shifted colours slowly.

"Don't bother him. He'll need his time to meditate. After all, if anything tries to spring us, we'll take care of them in a jiffy without him." Antonio told the others.

Casca and Farnese watched Richard meditate quietly, as they were both interested, but moreso for Farnese, who witnessed the magic herself several times before. In fact, she was closely watching how the magic flowed through his body.

After a while, the scouting trio returned, as they managed to bring back some deer meat, as well as some berries as a snack for them. Velouria assured the others that the berries are all safe to eat, although their edibleness is left to question, since some of them were tasteless. At the same time, the training with Isidro ended, with the boy sporting several bruises, and scowling, but he looks a lot more sturdier and skilled with a blade. Richard also woke up from his meditation, just in time to join the group in having a meal with the others.

'_I must learn how this kind of magic is able to work... To be able to create such natural miracles with a mere gesture... What kind of talent and training is required to possess such a almighty power...?_' Farnese pondered about Richard's magic, as she gnawed on a small piece of cooked meat.

* * *

_On a rocky plain..._

The group encountered a shepherd, who was moving his herd of sheep along, as they spoke with him briefly, as the shepherd was more than happy to give them directions to the sea towards Elfheim, as the less-human of the group made sure to hide their inhuman features away from the old man's eyes.

"Yeah, if you want to reach the sea and avoid people as much as possible, take this old highway over the mountain pass." He told them. "Although not wanting to be seen by people mean you've got some reason to hide."

"Indeed. Let's just say that we've got a lot of trouble pursuing us. So we rather keep to the shadows as much as we can." Gus stated. "Don't get us wrong, we're not looking for trouble, just trying to stay away from it."

"Hm. If you're heading for the Port of Vritannis, which is where you all are planning to head to. Then you best be careful." The shepherd stated. "It's becoming the military base for several allied countries. I hear armies from the land under the Holy See keep gathering here. Looks more and more like a big war against the Kushan's going to start."

The shepherd then looked over the horizon. "With the King dead, and his only child, the princess missing, Midland has no real ruler. Even if the allied forces drive out the Kushan, the territory'll be carved up real good by the squabbling lords." He continued. "If it goes badly, the kingdom itself'll disappear. Anyhow, it's no concern of shepherds like us."

Guts was surprised to hear that Midland was under the threat of being wiped out, while Farnese and Serpico grimaced at the mention of the Holy See, while Richard's expression turned stone-cold at the mention of the name. Corrin was shocked to hear that Princess Charlotte was missing, as she was about to ask the shepherd, who beat them to the punch, asking first.

"Are you Mid-Landers?" He asked them clearly, to which everyone shook their heads. "That's a pity. Then why the long faces."

"Different reasons, for each phrase you mentioned. Let's just keep it there." Richard answered back grimly.

"Wait, the princess is gone...?" Corrin asked, disregarding Richard's words, as the black-haired spell-blade turned to her with a cross expression.

"Well, it's common news around the place, but I guess that it's sooner you know than later." The shepherd responded back. "By the way, if you're really going through the mountain pass, I'd tell you to look out, because it's real dangerous there."

"Is it infamous bandits?" Virion asked. "Because we can clear them out if it is."

"Better if it were, archer. But it ain't humans up there. It's trolls." The shepherd answered back. "Anyway, that's all I can give you folk."

The group then bid farewell to the shepherd, as they continued down the path.

"Trolls..." Meiling remarked. "Could it be..."

"Pshaw. Don't get yourself riled, Meiling." Richard scoffed. "Trolls are nothing compared to their superior counterparts, the oni. So what if they have regenerative properties. Ain't going to do jack if their limbs are ripped off hard, or their bodies are sliced into ribbons."

"Right. They're that simple to take care of?" Antonio asked back, to which Richard nodded in agreement. "Right, so there's nothing to worry about. We've basically got a easy trip through here, since these trolls aren't that powerful, if Meiling and Richard believe so. How about you, Reimu?"

"Don't care what it is, if it gets in the way, it's going to get smashed into the group." Reimu stoically responded back.

The group continued down the path, as they hoped that their trip to the port would be fairly peaceful.

* * *

_In the mountain pass..._

Richard, Guts and Serpico were walking along the river, as they looked around for dead branches to turn into fuel for their bonfire, as they were fairly in luck, as the three of them managed to find some, although they are a bit damp, as if they were battered by rain for a long time.

"Uh oh, these are rather damp." Serpico remarked, before Richard walked over, and snatched the wet branch from Serpico's hand.

He then used water magic to drain most of the water out of the branch, inside and outside, before throwing the dirtied water into the river, and handing the branch back. 'This much better?" He asked the blonde-haired rapier user gently.

"Yeah, I guess." Serpico responded back, seeing that the branch is much more dry and fit as kindling, before a branch sailed over the side of his head, thrown by Guts.

"Alright, let's get started." Guts stated. Serpico was about to open his mouth to say something, but Guts continued on before he could do so. "Don't try to play dumb. You got us alone so you could settle the score with us, right?"

"What are you saying? I merely thought that I would deepen my friendship with you... That I would be perfectly frank." Serpico asked innocently.

"It's not wrong, but you definitely have more gnawing at your mind, Serpico." Richard answered back, before he set the branches he was carrying down on ht ground. "If you won't tell the truth, it will eventually get found. You may be good at hiding your emotions, but that facade will fall eventually, and when it does, you will be most likely losing trust than gaining it. So come clean, and we won't have to deal with the problem later, okay?"

Serpico was silent for a moment, before he then stood up, and sighed, giving Richard a serious look. "Fine. To be perfectly frank... I am thinking how nice it would have been, if you were not there in the Tower of Conviction, or better yet, dead long before Lady Farnese met you." He told Richard with a cold tone. "By going along with you, Lady Farnese is exposed to danger. If I could, I would like to make her abandon this reckless journey at once. However, this is what she herself wishes, after seeing what you have done. That face of hers, like an infant who cried its eyes out, its not like her at all. I do not know that defenceless side of her. You changed her."

"That I did." Richard admitted, before he stopped a angry Guts from approaching Serpico. "However, you are assuming this change is bad. I merely did what I considered to be right. It is not by my hand that she volunteered to believe in me. I didn't tell her to renounce her faith, I asked her to seek the truth in it. She came to me, so that she could do that. I assure you, Serpico, this is beneficial to her, because she won't be restrained in her stagnant beliefs, and see more perspectives around the world, which can give her the answer she desperately seeks in her heart. Not only that, but I did intend to protect her. I assure you, I would die before she would, and that is a iron-clad promise to myself. I could swear it to you, but you won't exactly believe my words, would you?"

Serpico was silent, before he then picked up the pile of wood, and walked away.

"You are quite hard to believe, after what you have pulled in the Tower of Conviction." Serpico stated. "Winning the faith of the refugees by slaughtering the former Father... You are quite the bold and daring one, Richard."

"...So you knew it all along?" Richard asked back.

"I take good note of your appearance. Surely it wouldn't be a coincidence if angel and man look almost alike, do they?" Serpico questioned back.

"Touche. You got me there. I guess this is what caused your Lady to turn to me for religious guidance?" Richard admitted, to which Serpico nodded.

Guts was a little miffed that Richard was being fairly buddy-buddy with Serpico, a former enemy, but let it slide when Richard decided to defuse the situation in his stead.

Suddenly, they heard the sounds of battle, as well as Farnese's screams, causing the trio to stop where they were, as they moved to rush over to the scene.

"I'm sure that the others could take care of them. However, if things get dire... We should hurry regardless." Richard told the other two.

* * *

_With the other group..._

Everyone was up in arms, as they were being faced with a large horde of creatures, all of them which looked like hairy, apelike humanoids with black fur and faces that comprise elements of pigs and rodents. Their eyes are wide and bulging and their snouts thick and fleshy with several protrusions, and they wielded primitive weapons like some sort of stone-age civilisation. They let out ape-like grunts, as they sized up the group, although they didn't attack yet.

"I take it these are the trolls in question...?" Gunter remarked.

"T-That's a troll!?" Isidro remarked with revulsion. "Uugggh, gross!"

"A new species of ape, that's what it is." Puck remarked, hiding in Elma's clothing.

"They seem like that they're waiting for us to make the first move." Meiling analysed the situation briefly. "They're confident that their numbers and savagery is enough to tear us apart."

"Well then, I guess we should oblige them, eh?" Antonio smirked back with arrogance, raising his blade.

The group then initiated their assault, as the front-lines of the troll horde, although fairly proficient with their weapons and quite fast for something of their appearance, they were easily slaughtered, as Antonio beheaded troll after troll using his trademark speed, leaving the bodies spraying blood everywhere, as the ladies turned away from the falling blood-drops, while the males didn't care about a bit of blood in their armour or clothes. Isidro managed to stick his blade into one of the trolls, before swiftly cutting its belly open, as the guts spilled onto the floor, and it fell onto them dead.

Virion used his bow to proper use, sniping out ambushing trolls with arrows to the heads, not taking a single moment to reload his quiver or bow, as he was firing arrow after arrow without any rest. The others were doing fine, as Meiling used her strength to make a small clearing to negate the troll's terrain advantage, leaving them with fewer places to ambush around the group.

All while this occurred, a figure watched them from the shadow under the tree, as it was a child-like figure, dressed in the purple attire of a witch, with the long-tipped hat, silken magic robes, and a sturdy wooden staff in her hands. And on top of her hat, was another elf, who was a female, with curly pink hair and pink eyes, and pink frilly clothing to cover her small chest and waist, as well as having pink butterfly wings on her back. The elf was sitting cross-legged on the brim of the witch's hat, as she was watching the battle in progress with interest.

"So... By the looks of it, they're handling this quite well. It's trolls, you know, not exactly the kind you want to fight in packs." The elf commented to her partner. "Say, do you think that means that Flora's guests are here now?"

"No... I cannot say for sure. I only see one of the three that she mentioned in particular." The witch responded with a fairly young and innocent voice. "What's more, is that their od is all strange. From the girl with the claws, I sense the strong od of a furious wolf. From the girl with the strange weapon and paper charms, her od is stronger than anyone else in this group, and it feels like the presence of a foreign god. And then there's more... I sense darkness from the elderly knight, dragon od from the ginger-haired fighter and the silver-haired swordsman, the od of a hedgehog from the brown-haired rouge that is zipping through the trolls, and strong fire magic from the other brown-haired swordsman, and a strange od from the blonde-haired swordsman with the shield and blade. And that's not to mention the demon with them, supporting them with magic from behind. She... She doesn't look anything resembling the apostles, and her od, although demonic, lacks any genuine malice in it... What are these people...?"

"All I know for sure, we've got interesting people coming our way. Hopefully, it's for the better." The elf remarked, as they watched the battle slowly wind up, as the trolls present were almost wiped out. The witch was about to leave, before she then noticed that Reimu was looking towards them for a moment, staring intently at them.

The witch froze where she was, as she didn't know what to do, as she was about to prepare a spell. However, seeing Reimu produce several ofuda in her hands, as if preparing to retaliate if she was attacked, the witch turned tail and retreated quickly out of Reimu's sight. After making sure that the unwelcome observer was gone, Reimu folded her ofuda back, and turned back to see Link take out the last troll in the area.

"Who the hell is this person... And how long has she been watching us...?" Reimu muttered. "No matter, if we meet again... I sure as hell won't be letting her go that easily."

The trio soon returned, as they checked the rest of the group, and were relieved that no-one of them sustained injuries as a result of the fight.

"Let me guess... Trolls?" Richard asked everyone, to which they nodded. "See? Not so much of a problem after all, with all of us together. But I rather not tempt fate more. Let's get moving before more show up. Reimu, you'll set the barrier down when we settle for camp, if we need more time to cover the distance, right?"

"I'll be on it." Reimu responded back, before she muttered quietly to herself. "And I'll keep an eye open for that witch..."

"What witch...?" Link asked curiously.

"Never mind about that. I'm sure that they won't be stupid to attack us." Reimu dismissed the topic.

The group continued along, before they found a man heavily injured in their path. The group sprung into action, prepared to take on whatever ambush may lay in wait, while Elma moved over to the man, as she worked her healing magic on him. He slowly stirred awake, before coming face to face with the young demoness, as he let out a startled cry and back-pedalled away from her.

"What... How did you all get here!?" The man asked with shock in his voice. "Where are the trolls? They're supposed be prowling around here, looking for me!"

"I believe that we have taken care of that problem for you, sir." Corrin assured the man with a peaceful tone. "Now, just lay back, and let our friend do her work to help you."

The man complied, before Elma finished healing him up, as he then gave her a thankful nod. "Th-Thank you all very much. You saved me." The man thanked them all gratefully. "I'm sorry that you had to see me in such a sorry state. We were attacked by trolls. There were five others beside me, but they were all..."

"They were eaten, weren't they?" Velouria bluntly answered back. "Well, it's not a good place for a old man like you to be around here. So what's your reason roaming around here then?"

"Indeed, a astute lady among you." The man responded back, before he slowly got up, testing if his wound have truly healed, as he was much more fit than before. "Such magic... It would be a miracle to have been treated by it. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Morgan, from the nearby Enoch Village. As travellers here, you might not know this, but this area has, for a long time, held many legends of fairies, witches and the like. Although that is the realm of fable and folklore, there were some who said they had actually seen them. But there has been no hard proof to support those claims, and even among natives, there were not many who believed the legends through and through... Until the cursed night came."

"Cursed night?" Virion asked back.

"The first night of winter, a pack of trolls attacked the village. Just like they had fallen out of a tale... They emerged from the darkness." Morgan told them. "Yes, ever since that night, it's like the whole world has changed. As if all that had been before was a elaborate lie. Not only do they ruin the fields and steal livestock, they even carry off our women and children. Because of the war with the Kushan, heavy taxes are imposed on the people. Enoch village was poor to begin with, and it will be all we can do not to starve to death this winter! Now we are raided by creatures of legend... It's just a matter of time before our village is wiped out!"

Everyone listened to it, as there were several shocked reactions, as they knew what had happened to the taken women and children, as Gus's grip on his weapon tightened in hearing the injustices the village had to put up with.

"Then do you plan to appeal directly to your Lord?" Serpico asked, before Velouria glared at him.

"Then what, tell him that trolls have attacked? It will be dismissed as mere fantasy. They won't care, and they'll just tax them harder in punishment." Velouria harshly retorted back.

"Then what will you do, Morgan?" Link asked.

"A legend for a legend... A witch. We thought we would request help from a witch for this." Morgan responded back, as everyone was surprised to hear the witch being mentioned, as Reimu was intently listening to his following words. "It is said that deep in this forest, lives a witch in her mansion. Only those the mistress of the mansion wills may reach that place. In any case, the villagers are too afraid to go near, but of old, there have been children who claimed they saw them. We already searched the forest for five days, but could not find anything like that... Eventually, we were unlucky enough to find trolls..."

"So there is a witch's spell cast on this forest? Then wouldn't it be a waste of time no matter how long you searched?" Isidro asked back.

"Not quite." Link answered back. "For this kind of spell, finding the focal point of it, would help greatly in breaking this. Curses that cause you to lose sense of direction, or walk in loops... We have encountered several ones before."

"Oh?" Guts asked, before Richard then stopped in front of a line of trees, as he placed his hand out, moving it along a invisible barrier.

"I can sense it here. Follow me closely, and don't hesitate. I'll rip a hole in the barrier long enough for all of us to get through." Richard told everyone.

Everyone did so, as Richard pushed out a pulse of arcane energy that ran along the barrier, causing it to shine visibly, as it slowly faded away. The group passed through the barrier, although not without alerting the person connected with it, as it was the same witch that Reimu saw before.

"Someone passed through the barrier...?" She muttered, before she then focused on the energy that caused the breach, as she then froze in realisation. "No... Could it be... Her guests... have already arrived...!? But I can't hesitate... Mistress could be in danger..."

She then chanted a long spell, as it caused several figures among the earthen ground to stir, as magic surged through their limbs and body, and the runes on their heads glowed.

* * *

_On the other side of the magical barrier..._

The group managed to pass through, as they found themselves facing a large mansion, that seemed to be made out of a mix of naturally-grown trees, and man-made materials, as there was countless earthen idols scattered on the ground around them, of varying sizes. On top of the house were large trunks, which covered most of the area in cool shade.

"Trees growing out of a house... No, house growing out of trees..." Corrin muttered with awe. "Such a naturally dazzling structure..."

"Damn... That's taking living in nature a step too far, if I say so myself." Antonio added.

Richard then sensed a magical energy surging around the ground, as he raised his guard, suspecting that they are not alone here.

"Hey, hey, we found it already, mister." Isidro told Morgan, who was moved to tears seeing the mansion.

"It really wasn't a dream... When I said that some children saw this mansion long ago... I was one of them." Morgan told everyone. "No one believed me, and so many years have passed that even I come to think of it as a dream."

Guts also felt the magical presence, as he was on edge as well, slowly drawing his blade.

"You feel it too, don't you, Guts?" Richard asked his comrade, as the two of the slowly walked through the grounds, as Guts nodded back. "I think that we've got a fight in our hands."

The group looked around, as they saw that the earthen idols were in many different shapes and sizes, before Isidro approached a large one.

"The hell is this stone statue? It's got some sort of afro? What is this...?" Isidro asked curiously.

"That's not a stone statue." Puck interrupted, as he floated over to the young kid. "It's a golem. A mud puppet used as a helper or house guard for witches."

"Really? Well, this hunk of stone ain't moving a single inch!" Isidro responded back, as he gave it it a kick.

As soon he touched it, the large idol suddenly rose up onto its feet, as if it became sentient immediately, before Isidro turned tail to run.

"N-No way...! These things are actually alive!?" Isidro exclaimed, as he ran fast. "Help me!"

The group moved to the boy's assistance, as Reimu threw a few tailsman at the golem, rendering its pace to be slowed to a snail's crawl, before Guts cut down both of its arms, before then cleaving through one of its legs to halt its momentum.

"W-Wait! Please, listen to...!" Morgan pleaded, as he was worried about the situation, before he was forcibly dragged back by Casca and Corrin.

"Remain here! We'll deal with these golems!" Casca shouted. "Tch... Does my blade even work against their stone?"

Soon, the damaged golem rose up, before regenerating its arms, through the growth of the stone at the stumps, before regenerating its lost leg as well. At that moment, the rest of the golems, scattered around the ground, rose up into action, rushing towards the group.

"They... They grew back...? And there's... more!?" Isidro exclaimed.

"Golems... Damnit... I never thought we would have to deal with them again..." Richard groaned, before he then attacked one of the golems, as his blade easily cuts through the ancient stone, as he manages to snatch something through the gash he made through the chest of the golem. As he pulled it out, it was revealed to be a small clay figure placed in each of the golems, as the golem that was separated from the component, crumbled into a pile of stones.

"Hmm..." Richard pondered, as he examined the clay figure closely, before he then thought of an idea. "Ah... I might have an idea to deal with this fast!"

He then crushed the clay figure, and allowed the magic stored within it seep through his arm and into his mind, as it filled him with knowledge regarding the mana signature of the golems, pleasing him greatly, before he turned to the others, who were having fairly good luck dealing with the golems.

Meiling was attacking the golem so hard, that she pulverised large golems with a single strike, clay figure and stone body both, while Velouria was less lucky, as her claws could only gouge through the rock, not slice through them. She does manage to score a few lucky kills, by breaking the clay figure within the golems, while Virion opted to dodge, since his arrows won't do much, and he wasn't sure his attacks were helping, with how the golems were regenerating each attack he did, and a lack of a visible weak point to attack. Link was using his trusty shield to block every single attack for himself and some of the less fortunate members of the group, as the only blades that were too weak to pierce the stone was Farnese's holy blade, Casca's short-sword, and Isidro's iron sword.

"Everyone, aim for the centre of their bodies!" Richard shouted, as everyone turned to him. "Gus, Link, Reimu, Antonio! To me!"

The four members complied, as they knocked back the enemies in their way, before Richard then faced them.

"Alright, I need you four to protect me." Richard answered back. "I have an idea to put this fight to end quickly. All I need to do is to invoke a magic circle powerful enough to affect all golems in the vicinity, and disconnect their sources of power to render them immobile."

"What!? Are you crazy? How exactly are you going to do that!? This is not a part of your magic studies, isn't it!?" Reimu frantically exclaimed.

"You know that Patchy knows how to cover all bases. Although my golemancy is at basic understanding, it should be enough to affect them, and flip their kill-switches. Problem is, I need time to work undisturbed. Can I trust you all?" Richard asked them.

"Right, leave them to us. You just do your magic stuff, alright?" Antonio answered back, before he then rushed back into the fray, using his blade to cut through the golems, destroying their clay figure cores along the way, while Gus and Reimu stood near, protecting Richard, and Link used his bow to snipe out the cores of the golems. Seeing that there is a weak-point after all, Virion returns to doing covering fire, as his bow managed to pierce through stone, and wipe out the golems.

From a balcony on the mansion, over the grounds, the young witch watched as Guts and the group tore through the golems with minimal difficulty, as she was concerned about how easily the guardians were being overcome by the intruders.

"Well, the game is up already... That guy knows his magic well." The pink elf sitting on her hat remarked. "What now? They'll all get busted at this rate! Not to mention that this guy below is confident that he would disable the golems if he finishes that spell of his! We're not in a good situation, Schierke!"

"In that case... We will have to resort to drastic measures..." The now-named Schierke responded back, as she held her wooden staff in both of her hands, as she quietly chanted incantations to prepare a large spell.

However, in doing so, it triggered Richard's magic sensors, causing him to halt his preparation of the spell immediately. Before Schierke could finish another verse of her spell, he pulled out his trusty bow, and fired a arrow right towards Schierke's hat, as the elf on it panicked, flying off, as Schierke ducked, allowing the arrow to catch her hat and pin it on the wall behind her. She then rose up, before she then saw Richard glaring at her.

"If you're responsible for these golems... I suggest you turn them off." Richard threatened them, as he nocked another arrow on his bow. "If harm comes to my companions... the next arrow will go through one of your hands."

Schierke was frozen where she was, as the eyes that Richard was showing were filled with grim determination, as she knew that Richard wasn't bluffing.

'_What... What is this person...? He easily sensed out my attempt to cast a spell... Just who is this person who Flora had invited!?_' She thought frantically. '_Either way, if I don't put a stop to this, or attempt to try anything... He might...!'_

'_That's quite enough._' A elderly female voice rang through Schierke's head, causing her to turn around, and look towards the large door behind her.

"Mistress... But...!" Schierke pleaded.

'_You were merely doing the right thing, my apprentice, but there is no need to engage in more hostilities. Let them through._' The voice continued in her head.

"...Yes Mistress. I understand." Schierke answered back, before she then turned to Richard. "Allow me to turn the golems off. I won't do anything to harm you and your companions anymore."

Richard lowered his bow, as Schierke chanted a quick spell which deactivated the golems, causing the group to halt their attacks as well.

"Was for the best, I guess." The pink elf muttered to herself.

"Hn?" Guts grunted.

"Wh-What's happened?" Farnese asked with surprise.

"They've stopped. I think that someone did that for us." Corrin stated. "Do you know who it is, Richard?"

"I think I have a good idea." Richard responded back as he watched Schierke leave the balcony, before then reappearing through the front door.

Everyone turned their attention to the witch, as they saw her young figure, and her short curled green hair, and green eyes. She looked at them with a calm expression, while the others were surprised by who they saw.

"Woah... This is the witch...?" Antonio remarked. "Dang... She's pretty young... And adorable to add to that."

"She reminds of me of a certain someone when he was younger..." Corrin stated. "Well, I was fairly small at that time too, but I can still remember the resemblance between him and the witch before us."

"...She looks like as if she's the same age as me..." Elma stated, as she felt a bit of melancholy in stating that. "I only hope that she's able to live a proper life in this terrible world..."

"Mistress witch, please listen...!" Morgan remarked, pushing through the group. "We didn't mean to bring harm to you-"

"You are all welcome. What happened before was a misunderstanding. It seems that my mistress will see you." Schierke answered back.

"He's damn young as a witch..." Isidro scoffed. "I bet her mistress is the real witch here. What that makes her then...? Her disciple in training?"

"Much like you, Isidro." Corrin responded back, as Isidro nodded in agreement.

"Misunderstanding my ass... If I had to deal with more, I'd spank that brat for trying to beat us into a pulp." Reimu growled, before she was stopped by Richard glaring at her.

"Well, she couldn't do much even if she tried. So let it go, Reimu." Richard sternly told his companion, to which Reimu clicked her tongue, annoyed.

The group slowly entered through the doors, as Schierke guided them through the rooms, as the entire room was made of wood, and there were various furniture around the area, with books and ingredient pouches on the tables and hollowed out holes in the wall, as well as concoctions stacked on another shelf. There were also a large amount of potted plants that were located hanging around or on the ground, as the group were fairly amazed by the decorations in the room.

"Wooo! What's all this neat stuff!? Feels more like a nest than a house. I feel like I'm a squirrel or something standing around here. And it's filled with tons of weird stuff."

"This takes me back to the days before I met you guys." Puck remarked, as he flew out of Elma's cloak, and lightly on top of her head, which the demoness didn't mind at all. "Lots of magic users lived where I came from. I hung out with them a lot. Some were even as good as a host as Elma here is. Ah... the memories..."

Corrin closely examined the items strewn on one of the tables, as Schierke looked at her, and informed her. "Do not go touching things on the desk."

"I didn't intend to." Corrin responded back, lifting her arms back. "I was merely curious about these ingredients placed on them. Some of them seem to be fairly foreign to me, so I apologise if you were mistaken about it."

"I see." Schierke answered back.

"By the way, mind if I ask you a question?" Antonio asked Schierke. "You look pretty young for a witch, and I haven't seen anything that isn't creepy or evil that would be make you looked way younger than what you actually would be, with your experience as the witch. You a disciple of her or something?"

"Yes, I am her apprentice. My name is Schierke." Schierke introduced herself, before her pink elf left her head, and she gestured to her. "And this is Ivalera, my personal elf."

"Hey. I look after her." Ivalera responded back. "So no funny business, alright?"

"Huh, not even an real witch then." Isidro snorted, before he then get clocked in the head by Reimu. "Ow! The hell was that for!?"

"That apprentice controlled all those golems. Think about that for a moment." Reimu responded back.

"What do you mean... Oh... Ooohhh!" Isidro hissed back, before he then realised what she meant, as he sighed. "Fine, sorry. I guess that if someone like me can swing a sword well, then a kid like you can be a magic user this good."

"So you say, although you are quite good with your weapon, you still are lacking." Schierke critically remarked about Isidro's skill.

"Don't look down on me! I'm still training like you, damnit!" Isidro growled back. "When I'm done, I'm going to be the ultimate swordsman!"

"Alright, enough bickering." Guts informed the others, before turning to Schierke. "Could you just hurry and let us see your mistress or whatever?"

"Guts!" Richard replied with a appalled tone, before turning to Schierke. "Sorry, my friend is a bit of an impatient one. He doesn't like to talk much."

"I see. Come this way then." Schierke instructed, leading them up a narrow set of stairs, and before a large door.

She opened the door, as the group slowly came into the room. "I have brought them as you asked, mistress." She informed the sole resident in the room, prior to their entry.

The group looked around, as it was a fairly large room, as there was a large arched window before them. In front of it was a small table, with a pot of flowers, a magic book, and a teapot with a cup. And sitting on one side of the table was a elderly woman with greying hair, greyish-blue eyes, and dressed in a light-pink gown that covered her entire body. She looked at them with kindness in her eyes and a welcoming smile on her lips

"Welcome... to the Mansion of the Spirit Tree." The elderly woman greeted them, as she looked over the entire group. "Please forgive my apprentice for being impolite and hostile to you all. She is merely concerned for my safety. I am Flora, the mistress of the mansion."

'_Good... That should make the next few steps easier..._' Richard thought to himself, before he then nodded. "We are unharmed by the attempt. But I have startled your apprentice, and almost harmed her. If I may, I apologise for that before we continue."

"She's a witch? I thought for sure that witches had pointed noses and looked like some sort of wrinkled monster!" Isidro exclaimed.

"I-Insolence! That's merely a rumour!" Schierke argued back.

"Hoho... I accept your apology, young warrior. And as for you, little one..." Flora smiled back. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Oh... You are... surely the one from..." Morgan spoke, as he was deeply moved in seeing Flora, stepping forward. "I remember! My mother was saved from the brink of death by the medicine I received from you fifty years ago! It's unbelievable you're just as you were then!"

"I too remember. You were that boy. How nostalgic." Flora nodded.

Farnese looked at Flora for a moment, before she then stepped forward, as Serpico looked at her. "Lady Farnese...?" He muttered to her.

"Young lady, you need not be so frightened." Flora assured Farnese, who's expression was filled with guilt and fear. "My folk were not among those whose lives you have took. Even if they were, the fault would collectively lie upon the servants of your deity. The one who spoke with you before, he is very much right about how the proper faith to your deity, is a different way than you were taught. I do not seek retribution from you as an individual."

'_How'd she...!?_' Farnese thought, shocked that Flora answered her potential questions in a single answer, before Flora then turned her attention to the group.

"And you... the trio of the Branded." Flora stated, before she then looked over the rest of the group. "And the companions of the black-haired warrior who has turned the fate of the world several times already."

"How did you...!?" Guts exclaimed, as Casca was equally shocked. Richard, however, seemed to understand what was going on, as he gently nodded back.

"I see now, you have been expecting us all this time, haven't you, Flora?" Richard asked back, as everyone was surprised to hear that from him.

"Indeed, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Flora responded back. "They of the Brand, guided by tiny wings. I have awaited you three."

'_She knows about the Brand? Could she be a Apostle in hiding? But no... This feeling..._' Guts thought to himself, as he moved his hand over his Brand, which had a soothing feeling inside of it. '_This feeling... It is so gentle... It lacks any hostility or malice like the usual things that the Brand senses._'

"Wait, then what about us then!?" Antonio exclaimed back.

"Patience, young hedgehog." Flora responded back, before turning to Morgan. "His story is of more importance for now. And that regards the trolls, does it not?

"Y-Yes." Morgan admitted back.

"I am truly anxious about them too. Trolls originate from the astral world. Rarely should they even be seen by humans, much less attack their homes." Flora explained.

"Well... in that case... Can you-" Morgan was about to ask, before Flora lifted a hand to stop him.

"Unfortunately, I cannot assist you, for this old body of mine has neither the strength nor the time left to leave this place." Flora solemnly responded back. "My time of death draws near, and now I simply wait quietly for it to come."

Elma felt a bit sorrowful for Flora, who looked so peaceful and old, then hearing the fact that she does not have long to live as well, while Reimu felt a sense of respect for Flora, if she was able to leave in relative peace for all those years.

But away from the others, Richard's expression was conflicted, as he didn't seem to be quite accepting of Flora's death as the others were.

"Then how in the world will we...?" Morgan asked.

"No need to worry. I cannot go myself, but I can have one go in my stead." Flora assured Morgan, before turning to Schierke. "Schierke, be of service to them."

"Whoa, that's a big job they gave you!" Isidro exclaimed.

"Mistress... No... I..." Schierke tried to politely refuse Flora's request.

"It is high time for you too to put your training into practice." Flora answered back. "But I..."

"There is nothing to be afraid of, young Schierke." Gunter assured the young witch. "If your mistress believes in you so greatly, then you will potentially meet her expectations."

"I..." Schierke muttered back, as she let her voice trail off slowly.

"I actually have a request for you all." Flora stated, looking at the group. "Could I ask all of you, please, to assist my disciple?"

"Whoa, whoa. I understand that you're worried about your favourite student, but we've got no obligation to go that far. Sorry, but we've got to stick to our journey." Gut strongly refused.

"Naturally, I do not ask your help for free." Flora responded back. "I think that I might be of some use to you as well. Upon your return, I shall produce tailsmans to protect you on the rest of your journey."

"You mean the kind that I make?" Reimu interjected. "Sorry, but you're going to have to offer better than that. I have made plenty of them, and they work quite as well as yours."

"D-Don't be ridiculous!" Schierke argued back. "Tailsmans made by the magi are not the same as superstitions! And even among them, my mistress's charms are special!"

"Anyone who ain't a experienced witch like her ain't going to understand." Ivalera chimed in, to which Reimu growled lowly upon hearing that.

"I understand your power well. However, neither of our powers is capable of being able to erase that curse upon them and your friend." Flora acknowledged Reimu's words. "However, I can weaken its intensity through proper magic, to protect them from being possessed, and draw less evil spirits. It may be only last for as long as your journey may be, but it is reliable."

"Wait, so that thing... It draws those spirits to us!?" Isidro exclaimed, finally realising the reason why they were chased by spirits.

"Of course, what did you expect?" Antonio sighed.

"...Guts, may I act in behalf of the group?" Casca asked Guts.

"...Go ahead. I bet I know what you're going to say." Guts relented, letting Casca move in front.

"There is no reason to reject your offer, Mistress Flora. Even if you couldn't help us as much as we expected, anything would do in this kind of situation." Casca answered back. "Rest assured, your apprentice will be safe amongst us.

"Then negotiations are complete." Flora smiled back.

"Thank you so much...!" Morgan remarked with a moved tone, as Link grabbed him, and held the elderly man close.

"It is our duty to help the innocent who are unrightfully given suffering by the cruel world. You have no reason to cry." Link assured Morgan.

"Mistress..." Schierke stated again.

"Extend greetings to everyone, Schierke. It is only manners to do so." Flora told Schierke, as the young apprentice turned around.

"It... It is nice to meet you all." Schierke timidly stated to everyone.

"Yeah, I guess that we're going to do well with you among us. Just don't zap us with something, okay?" Isidro stated.

"Don't worry. You're in good hands." Corrin assured the meek Schierke.

"R-Right..." Schierke responded back, before they headed out of the room.

* * *

_At night..._

Flora was sitting at the balcony outside of the mansion, as there was a wooden alcove to sit upon, as she listened to the sounds of the female members of the group getting to know each other through bathing with each other, as their voices were mostly joyous and friendly, as she could pick out some words from the voices, such as Reimu being accidentally groped by Farnese, which the shrine maiden didn't appreciate, as the rest tried to calm her down before she did something she would regret.

After a while, the doors ahead of her opened, as it was revealed to be Richard, who was in his full clothing, as he stopped right before Flora with a calm expression.

"Mistress Flora." Richard stated stoically.

"Ah, so you have told Schierke that you wanted to speak with me while the others were occupied." Flora answered back. "It seems that you are interested in having a chat with me alone. I suppose that there are things that you and I only can discuss right now."

"Indeed." Richard nodded back. "First is something that I want to tell you. I am aware of the fact that you are dying, Flora. But not only I do, but I am aware of how you will die, something that your other ally does not have in comparison to me. And I assure you, it is not a peaceful death that you have intended for yourself."

"Is that so... So his words are true then. You know more about the world and its future than you let upon on others." Flora asked back, as her expression dropped slightly into a frown. "I take it that you intend to save me somehow."

"...That's right." Richard responded back with some hesitation. "I guess that it was obvious by the look on my face, that no-one else saw but you. You are observant, Flora. I give you that at least."

"And I take it that you will not change your decision then?" Flora asked back, as Richard's expression creased slightly with reluctance, although his eyes showed that he was very serious on his decision. "At least tell me why you wish to save me, when I am merely a witch reaching her twilight years. I am not as powerful as most of your members, because of old age wearing me down. Your shrine maiden, is capable of doing what I am capable of and more, save for a few unique tasks."

"...If I tell you, will it convince you why I needed you to live?" Richard questioned back, before Flora gently nodded, as she was willing to hear Richard's reasons out. "Very well, then I'll tell you straight. I need you Flora... because only you can help a friend of mine. You might be able to guess who it is, if you were able to figure my motives."

"...It's the young demoness that you have taken under your wing, is it not?" Flora answered back.

"That's right. Her name is Elma, former Overlord of Gloom, now a mere female demoness who is working for the side of good. She is more of a beacon of hope than a servant of darkness, as most demons are considered as." Richard answered back. "I need you, because only you are capable of teaching her the magic that she needs to survive in the cruel times ahead of us. I cannot even ask you to teach you, because the turning point of your fate will come in a mere few days, far too less to be able to impart Elma with even the most basic of essential spells to protect herself."

"Why so...?" Flora asked, before she then saw Richard's expression turn to annoyance, as she then realised that was an obvious reason for it. "It is because I have tutored Schierke so well, and you have seen that she is quite capable, that you believe that I would be the most fitting tutor for Elma, I presume?"

"Second most fitting, in all honesty." Richard corrected. "However, the first on the list is engaged in matters that make her unable to help Elma for several decades at least. You are the next most fitting candidate. I have seen the power and magical experience that Schierke has, both first-hand and through sensing. Now do you understand why I care for you? I'm sorry that if this sounds harsh, but I need you because I need someone to help her. I promise you that you will not be left un-repaid for your actions. You will restore the youth you lost, and you will be able to stand alongside us, as beacons of hope and protectors of the innocent. It may sound hypocritical, considering that 'he' must have told you what I truly am, but I am a exception to the ideals I made, because... I am the demon that exists, so that none of my friends has to be. They don't need to dirty their hands with the sin and regret of ruining lives. I have endured it, so I should be the one to take those burdens to myself."

Flora was silent for a moment, before she then sighed.

"How ironic... Here, I can see the two sides of your own heart." Flora spoke in a solemn tone. "I can see the benevolent side of you, that acts as a saviour for all, giving kindness to people and working to befriend others, as well as maintain peace and unity among the worlds you have found, using diplomacy and the more noble powers at your disposal, and treating your friends and allies with the proper respect they deserve and more. And then I see the other side of you, the rage-filled executioner and the sadistic manipulator. You would do anything to ensure that your goals would be achieved, even if it would come to odds with the noble side of you. You would slay your enemies without mercy, if it would ensure that the others would fear you for your ungodly might, and you would lie to twist the hearts of people around to ensure that everything would proceed mostly to what you have planned. Ruining friendships, turning comrades against each other... Although it is for the greater good, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and your goals are noble, but your means are not. You would hold that inner darkness close to your heart, and meld it within your soul, so that you could be both the angel and devil. As a result of this, your soul is conflicted, and your emotions are as well. You are a child with a broken soul, which was reformed grotesquely through sheer determination and dark desires. Your soul burns all in your path, even your friends, though your flames are more merciful to those you respect and cherish. I cannot fathom what it is like to be in your place, Richard. Your friend, Guts... he is much easier to comprehend and understand, with his directly blunt hatred in his heart,but ever since you have worked under the chaotic goddess of the other reality, Yakumo, your very soul has become something that cannot be merely described as human or inhuman. I only wish that I would come to understand you... so that I could fix you, as it is wrong to see a twisted soul like yours linger on, even if you choose to embrace it for the sake of everyone you care for."

Richard was silent, as he nodded solemnly as well.

"Wow... I never thought that you would think that much of me." Richard remarked, before he then turned away. "You are not wrong. I am a monster of my own choosing, and I wish that there was a better way to achieve what I must. And as for my soul... You will be fruitlessly searching for the way to heal it. It is not something you could wish, after everything it had been put through, emotionally and spiritually. Just make sure that you tell 'him' about your choice. If you won't come... then I am unable to force you. Like a behelit, your will is something that very few can control, not even the God Hand can properly achieve that. If you wish to help me, then it will be by your choice and will alone."

"...You will know my answer when the time comes." Flora answered back.

"Then I will leave. May you take your time to cherish these last moments of peace that you will have, whether you choose to die or live on." Richard stated, before he then exited through the door.

Flora then turned to a part of the darkness beside her. "You may come out, Schierke. I have known that you have been listening to the entire conversation." She tells Schierke.

Schierke comes out, as her expression was very conflicted, as she didn't know what to say for a while, before she then mustered the courage to speak.

"Mistress... This man... Is everything that he told you the full truth?" She asked her mentor.

"Indeed. His heart did not waver an inch saying those words, even though it pained him to speak of it." Flora responded back, before taking a drink out of her tea-cup, filled with natural herb tea. "He knows that dishonesty would only harm his chances of persuading me to join his quest, the true one, that goes beyond merely this world."

"But... Is is true... Does he really know how you will die?" Schierke asked back. "And why... is the only way to prevent it... is for you to join him? How does he intend to avert your fate, if it was something naturally fated to be?"

"He has already defied fate a few times. Another time would be fairly easy for him. Even if the God Hand tried to stop him... it will not work against someone as determined and powerful as him." Flora answered back. "Have you not noticed that his od has been strongly restrained? So that you could not sense its true nature. You could tell the hints of darkness from what little he exposed, but the darkness within him is much larger, far too strong for even you to be able to bear sensing, my apprentice. One would say that he is a true threat to the fifth God Hand, the Hawk of Light, as a challenger for the title of being the absolute being of this world. As someone who exists out of this world, he is not bound by the laws of casualty, allowing him to rebel against the God Hand at the same level. That is why he would be titled the Rebel, or the Defiant. He is one who will refuse to allow certain fates to come to pass, using his power to twist fate and destiny to his wishes. But he will not remain forever in this world. When he leaves, the fate of the world will be left to those who remain, with the fated one to be Guts himself. That is why you will assist the man, who has contested with his own fate, surviving through the hells that were forced upon him, and encountered many along his way, that allowed him to change dramatically. Of course, I will not force you, like Richard has told me. God may bestow fate upon us, but we of mankind are the ones who choose it. That is my truest belief."

"I see... I will not forget your words, mistress." Schierke answered back, before she then left the balcony.

* * *

_The next morning..._

Schierke was using a feather quill to inscribe a sigil over Richard's back, as she added the finishing touches, using her glasses to help her trace the sigil carefully, while Richard sat silently, letting the young apprentice do her job.

"That does it." Schierke stated, before she set the feather quill down, before she then grabbed some purification salt from a small pouch from her nearby table, as Richard winced slightly from the pain that the substance brought to him. "It is complete now. Not on the same level of my mistress's tailsmans, but the Brand should not attract any evil spirits for two or three days."

"I look forward to that." Guts agreed, as he was bare-chested like Richard.

"Are you ready over there?" She asked the rest of the group, who were bare-chested as well, as they were slathering some sort of ointment onto their body, on every part of the body.

"This stuff tingles." Isidro commented, as he slowly rubbed the ointment on him.

"Yeah, it feels strange." Antonio answered back. "What exactly is this, Schierke? Some sort of ointment?"

"It's called femme fatale ointment. A kind of narcotic mixed from almond oil, celery, belladonna, wolfsbane and several other plants." Schierke explained. "Because it dulls the five senses, it enhance the magical sixth sense, allowing easier perception of ethereal bodies."

"So it was some sort of drug that makes you high enough to actually see those monsters, for those who find it hard to see them." Reimu stated. "Righhtt... At least it's all natural, and doesn't actually linger on for too long in the bad way."

"I know that you all have your own weapons, and seeing how they managed to fight off the golems, I will not provide those of you who are directly under Richard's company with additional equipment." Schierke stated, as she went over and lifted a bundle of items that were wrapped around in cloth, before then placing it down on the table in front of everyone. "But for the rest of you, you might need these. It's a good time to explain the things that I will give to you."

The bundle contained a green cloak with tassels on the corners, a large blade that was created from a large hardened avian feather, with a proper metal hilt, a fabric pouch with berries poking out of it, a dagger with a large and wide blade, with a thick rain-guard with a small triangle design inlaid onto it, chainmail armour made of silver, and a silver dagger, and a set of throwing knifes that had inlaid gems on their handles.

"These are..." Judeau asked.

"Magic fetishes. They are magic arms granted the protection of the spirits." Schierke explained. "I borrowed them from the mistress. With these, everyone should be able to confront the trolls even without spell-casting. First, for Serpico, this hood and sword."

She then handed Serpico the green cloak, as it billowed as if there was wind moving it, something that Serpico noted, as it continued, even when Serpico held it still. "What is this hood? It floats on its own." He pondered, before he then looked closer, as his eyes managed to faintly see something wisp-like brushing through the surface of the cloak, resembling transparent birds, limbless with round wings, and spherical heads, and a wispy tail. "Shapes like transparent winged insects, which look fairly humanoid..."

"Yes, these are the wind elementals, sylphs." Schierke explained back, as the sylphs in the cloak floated around, as some of them moved into the air. "The four states inherent to the physical world, Solid, liquid, vapor, energy, are all resonant with the workings of elementals in the astral world, earth, water, wind and fire respectively. These little ones are the ethereal forms of the atmosphere that fills this world, spirits of the wind that blow about the sky."

"How about that. So you're the guys that are the wind that always help me out. I'm Puck." Puck stated, as he greeted the smaller sylphs.

"What are you talking about? They're our ancestors." Ivalera responded back, eliciting a surprised 'Howah?' from Puck. "You're a pixie, right? Pixie's are a family of wind spirits, after all. There are all kinds though."

"What!? You mean I'm a wind spirit as well? That's odd... I don't feel like I can use the wind like the sylphs..." Puck exclaimed, before calming down. "Must be familial differences, right?"

"That is the Sylph Hood. He who wears it is clad in atmospheric current, and can sweep aside swords and arrows." Schierke explained the cloak, as Serpico already draped it over his body, before he then picked up the feather sword, which was also blessed with the sylphs. "Also granted the wind's protection is the Sylph Sword. The blade is made from a white-shouldered eagle's feather and the hilt from mistletoe growing on the highest branch in the forest. One swing can generate a whirlwind that can tear the enemy's flesh without touching it."

"Might I give it a try?" Serpico asked, as Isidro was staring at the blade with condescending eyes, muttering under his breath about how weak it looks.

"Please." Schierke answered back, before Serpico swung the blade at a set of candles, as it snuffed the flames on them, as well as rustle the plants behind them. Puck even floated over to the candle, before he lifted it, and showed that the candle itself was cut in twain by the attack, making Isidro eat his own words upon seeing this display. "This is quite handy."

"Holy... That was neat!" Isidro exclaimed with excitement, before he then rushed up to Schierke. "Alright, where's mine? Where is it? I bet I got something nice, right?"

"For you, these." Schierke answered back, as she handed him the sheathed dagger, and the pouch.

"Eegghh... A dagger? Sure, Judeau got those knifes, but he got an actual sword. Can't I get a magic sword or spear too?" Isidro complained.

"A dagger can do more you think, Isidro." Antonio stated. "Trust me, it's handy to use when you're small and fast."

"Really..." Isidro responded back dully, before he then pulled the dagger out of the sheathe, as he saw the red glow of the blade. "Huh...? This dagger... It's glowing all red."

He then saw the shapes of many small lizard-like wisps crawling across his blade, sharing the same red glow of his blade. "What the... What are these small squirming things? Lizards?" He muttered.

"Those are fire elementals, salamanders." Schierke offered to explain again. "The blade of the Salamander Dagger is magically crafted from molten made with it will ignite and burn as if struck by a hot iron."

"...Mind if I test it myself?" Meiling asked, stepping forward.

"...Sure. Go ahead and try. Not like you're going to be using it, with those fists and energy of yours." Isidro casually stated, handing the blade to Meiling, who seemed to be a mistake, as Meiling pressed the blade of the glowing dagger against her palm, startling some of the people, especially Isidro. "The hell!? Are you trying to burn your-"

Meiling's hand was fairly safe, as her dragon scales protected her hand from most of the heat, as she was fairly intrigued by this, before she then handed the dagger back to Isidro, who was frozen upon seeing that.

"It's quite effective, if it forced me to use my scales to weather the heat." Meiling commented, before she then noticed that some of the salamanders stuck to her hand, as their hot bodies danced along her palm, heating it warmly, instead of burning it. "Huh...?"

"Oh... The salamanders must have gathered to you, considering that you are partially dragon, and thus they flock to you as if you are their matriarch." Schierke answered back. "I'm sure that you would benefit from their presence enhancing your fighting abilities."

"Hot damn... This is sweet." Isidro remarked, before he then looked at the bag of berries in his hands. "Then what's this?"

"Those are consecrated berries. You can scatter the trolls if you throw these at them." Schierke answered back.

"Pass. I rather just stab through their gnarled bodies and burn them." Isidro denied back. "Although, I might keep this just in case. Thanks for the free stuff."

Schierke grumbled, before she then handed the silver chainmail to Casca and Farnese, and the silver dagger to Farnese.

"For our ladies, Farnese and Casca, silver chain-shirts, and a silver dagger for Farnese. Silver has strong tailsmanic properties, so they will serve you well." he told them, as they both equipped their armour, and Farnese held onto the dagger, feeling the faint magic pulsing from it.

"I will cherish it, Schierke." Casca responded back, as she traced her hand through the silver armour.

"And lastly, for you, Judeau." Schierke stated, handing the gem-hilted throwing knives. "It took me a while to find this weapon for you, but I managed to find something to suit you from the mistress's storages."

Judeau held the knife in his hand, as he could see that there were a few goblin-like spirits crawling through the blade, with a brownish-yellow tint to their aura. He was intrigued that even smaller weapons like throwing knives could be inhabited by spirits.

"These knives have been blessed by the gnomes, spirits of the earth." Schierke explained. "I don't exactly recall the name of these knives, but I do know that they are able to be resummoned to your hand, and burrow under earth to surprise enemies. It is also self-repairing thanks to the gnomes themselves."

"An interesting weapon, huh..." Judeau responded back, looking at the gnomes climbing up and down the blade. "I'm counting on you little guys then."

"When the time comes to use the fetishes, please envision the faint figures you see now as clearly as possible. Their efficiency is realised by the strength of your faith in their astral power." Schierke advised everyone. "And if you use this power, do not forget to appreciate the elementals for lending a hand to you. In the end, the power of the fetishes depend on them, not you."

The group members, armed with the blessed fetishes, immediately acknowledged their elementals, as Richard noticed that some of the sylphs in the air moved towards him, gathering over his right arm. Some of the group noticed this, as they were intrigued, although Reimu likely knew the reason.

"I guess it might be the fact he's well attuned to wind." Reimu suggested. "That's why the sylphes might have some interest in him."

"Then what about me then...?" Gus asked, before he noticed some stray salamanders clambering up his leg. "Oh! Then the salamanders must be attracted my fire magic, right?"

"Maybe." Reimu answered back, before the group prepared to leave.


	18. Chapter 17 (AN Warning)

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 17: Enoch Village and Slan

A/N: Rape and guro present here. Be careful when reading this chapter.

* * *

_In Enoch Village..._

The group made their way into the village, as they heard the village bell ring a few times slowly, as if they were in mourning of someone's death. The group looked around, as the village was in fairly good condition for a village threatened by goblins, with most of the infrastructure still standing well. Morgan looked around for his fellow townsmen, before he then found them gathering around a large ditch in the middle of the village path.

The group could see that the townsfolk were in mourning, the women weeping, with hands to eyes, and men swearing under their breath in frustration about what had happened, all of them with their heads bowed down to the ground, into the ditch. Morgan got closer, before he then saw that the ditch had two wooden coffins inside of it, as people were shovelling dirt to bury them into the ground.

"Everyone!" Morgan shouted, gathering everyone's attention, as they stopped mourning for a moment, and rushed towards the elderly citizen, with relief on their expressions.

"Old Man Morgan! You're alright!" One of the middle-aged men cried out.

"One way or another." Morgan responded back calmly.

"Wait, where are the others!?" One of the other men cried out, realising that Morgan had no-one from his group with him.

"Well, we were attacked by trolls in the forest..." Morgan solemnly stated.

"...Oh..." A man muttered in understanding.

"Whose coffins are these?" Morgan asked, getting a closer look at them.

"Ted's and Horace's. Hannah got carried off." One of the other men explained, before recounting the events. "Ted was attacked while standing guard at the livestock barn, and when she rushed over to save him, Hannah was raped! Horace stabbed one with the pitchfork trying to rescue his sister, then a whole pack ganged up and beat him to death! All that was left of Ted and Horace was mincemeat! What cursed timing... They were only married four days ago."

"And Ted and Horace were best friends. The three were brought up like siblings and all." Another man remarked.

"Damn it! They do such vicious things! They don't think of this village as more than a food trough!" A younger man cursed out loud.

"I realise that it's a time for mourning, everyone, but..." Morgan replied back.

"So? What was the end result, Morgan?" One of the men asked him again.

"Chief." Morgan acknowledged the village chieftain, before turning to the group behind him. "Those people there are them."

"You all are..." The chieftain remarked, as the entire crowd was surprised by how large the group was.

"They're from the Spirit Tree Forest?" One of the women commented, before pointing at Isidro and Elma, who looked the youngest out of the entire group. "Hey, there's children with them!"

"Who's those men in armour, and holding such powerful weapons...?" Another man remarked, referring to Gunter and Guts.

"L-Look at that!" A young woman shouted, pointing at Puck and Ivalera, who were flying around the group. "Elves... They're elves! If she has things queer as elves with them... She must really be a witch!"

"So one of them must be..." Another one pondered.

"No... people! The honourable witch is right here, although we do have a few people capable of magic in this group." Morgan responded back, before coming over, and gesturing for Schierke, who was hiding behind Guts and Richard.

Schierke shyly teetered out, as she muttered a meek 'Hello.', while Elma chuckled slightly, seeing that Schierke was fairly shy like she was herself.

"Say what? Impossible, there's two of them with those staffs... Children like them..." One of them remarked.

"This is a joke, right!?" One of the man yelled, with a disbelieving expression.

"Morgan, what is the meaning of this jest!?" The village chieftain roared.

"Well no, it's no joke." Morgan said with slight hesitation.

"There is no time to question whether the girl is a witch or not." Reimu declared forcefully, as all eyes turned to her. "All it matters that you tell us when and how those damn things are going to come. We'll deal with the rest."

"That will not do." A male voice rang within the crowd, before it parted away to reveal that it was a experienced priest with a young age, sharp eyes, white priest robes and cap. "I told you as much, village chief, I doubt that there would be a witch that would truly help us."

"Father." The village chieftain remarked, as Isidro winced slightly.

"It's a priest." Schierke stated.

"Hoo boy, another one. Let's hope that he can see some reason, considering that we got people who can dice the trolls real good even without the hocus-pocus." Isidro sighed deeply.

"Indeed, this has been complicated." Serpico stated.

"Relying on dubious superstitions like witches will not resolve our present state of affairs one bit." The priest continued. "Will it not result in the needless addition of victims? Even so, Morgan, making children like them wear the getup of witches... It is likely a deed born of a sense of guilt at being the only one to survive, but also excessively thoughtless."

"N-No, it's not like that. They really can-" Morgan tried to reason with the priest.

"B-But Father, they have elves with them." The village chieftain also proposed his argument.

"Do you think such things has the power to defeat those evil beasts?" The priest retorted back coolly.

"Ah well... perhaps not." The chieftain stated, resigned.

"With this getup, are you people travelling performers? Did Morgan appeal to you on your journey?" The priest asked the group. "No wonder... pretending to be witches and practising dubious divination must be your forte."

"Performer... makes sense." The chieftain stated with a nod.

"I'm sorry... what do you think you're implying?" Antonio asked, his tone showing his irritation.

"However, it would not be wise to stick your noses into this. I don't know if you're on a pleasure jaunt or what, but these evil beasts are not the sort of thing you can deal with. Leave this place at once."

"B-But father, after a close look, doesn't some of them look quite powerful or skilled? We are short-handed right now, so to turn them away would..."

"None of that!" The priest barked out. "This is a test given by God to this village. All we can do is pray and endure."

As if on cue, scoffs arose from Reimu, Richard, Velouria, Antonio, Guts, Judeau, and Casca at the same time, as the priest noticed the collective gesture, annoyed at it. "What reason do you scoff at my words?" He asked the group again, with more force than before.

"Oh please. Pray and endure you say. Tell that to the survivors of the incident at the Tower of Conviction." Reimu spat back with a mocking tone. "I'm sure that tactic worked on them."

"How so?" The priest asked, trying to keep his patience within control.

"You're Holy See, aren't you?" Antonio asked. "Sure is nice trying to pretend that you actually can do jack shit around here. Please, we don't need magic to solve your little problem. You want to pray to your Lord and hope he'll cast down holy judgement on the monsters, be my guest... But don't drag your sentiments on the others. We came here to help everyone here, not just your sorry ass. Don't act like your word holds higher than anyone else's here. You're a religious figure, but tell me, has your faith managed to save people? Did it save those people in those coffins right now, because if this is what your Lord done to this village... Well, high time for someone to do his job right then."

The priest was livid, as his hands were trembling, as he was about to say something before Richard walked over to him. Farnese and Serpico were also affected by the harsh words from both of them, as Farnese had a guilty look in her eyes, while Serpico only sighed deeply.

"Father, I appreciate your concern, but my friends are right, however vulgar they portray their points." Richard told him bluntly. "We may not be a group on charity, but we cannot let a entire village get wiped out by our indecision. Faith is not enough these days, Father. God's faith has been spread thin, by the likes of Inquisitor Mozgus, and those who speak the Lord's name in vain. His power was robbed by those who use it for their own personal gains, leaving him unable to conjure up the simplest miracle to help the truly faithful. So I implore you, Father, let us help. If we fail, it is of no consequence. We are not afraid of these dark creatures. You're a good man, Father, just simply misunderstood about all of this."

"Even so..." The priest responded back. "You cannot possibly be bringing them both in. They must not assume these kind of appearances, lest they be burned at stake, were this be the Holy City, a fate difficult to escape from. Witches and the like... are nothing but symbols of apostasy and wickedness."

Richard's expression creased slightly, while Schierke's glare at the priest intensified, while Elma turned away. Velouria muttered a silent 'fuck this', as she was about to stomp over to the priest to give him a piece of her mind, only to be stopped by Meiling snatching her by the waist.

"I see. You are mistaken on that, dear Father." Richard nodded gently with a grim frown. "Magic like the one that the witches wield... Not all those who use it are wicked or heretical. You'll see what I mean eventually. We will not take residence in your village, as we do not wish to cause uneasiness with the crowd here. We are not welcome here, it seems, so we will not menace you any longer."

Richard then headed back to the group, as he gestured them to follow. "Come, we will take camp on the village gates." He told them.

"Don't tell me... You're seriously going to let them roll over us?" Casca exclaimed.

"There's no point in poking the hornet's nest, Casca. We're stirred enough ill-will with the people here." Richard answered back, before turning to Schierke and Elma. "Are you both alright... The priest... He did not know what he was talking about."

"I'm fine." Schierke muttered back, not turning her head back to face him.

"Richard... I'm alright... They're just scared of us, because our magic might make things bad for them right?" Elma asked back. "Then I'll just simply have to prove that I can only do good with what I use, right?"

"Yes, that might help them believe you, Elma." Richard answered back.

"So... How will we deal with that problem?" Guts asked Richard.

"Well, Reimu and Antonio did rustle a lot of feathers saying what they said." Judeau stated. "Had it not been Richard using smooth-talk to pacify the situation, we could have left on much more sour terms."

"Hey, I was telling the damn truth! Tell that to the religious block-head over there!" Reimu hollered.

"Yeah, same here!" Antonio shouted back.

"Both of you, stop. There's not a good thing about arguing about this." Richard scolded both of them, before he then turned to Schierke. "Do you think that you might have a good idea on how we're going to defend this village?"

"Not yet. I need to tour the village a little to actually make a proper plan." Schierke stated, before she then pulled out a bundle of her own hair. "Everyone, please tie a strand of this around your finger."

Everyone did so, putting their strand of Schierke's hair around one of their fingers.

"Hair? Yours? Why this?" Isidro asked quickly.

"So that we can use thought transference." Schierke explained. "You would be mostly linked through me, but not to each other."

"Huh, so it's something like that Satori... Kinda neat." Reimu muttered, brushing her finger against the tied hair strand on her finger.

'_Like this?_' Corrin thought to Schierke, as it rang clear in the little apprentice's head, as the green-haired apprentice nodded back. "Ah, I see... That is quite convenient."

"To a certain extent, every human is capable of directly exchanging thoughts. Just for that, it is necessary to connect their od... their spiritual magnetism. With those hairs attached to you, your od fields are subconsciously adhered to mine."

"So, it's a two way communication?" Judeau asked. "Well, I sure hope that it doesn't leak even memories through it. That would be an awkward experience for all of us."

"Yeah, I agree, though I doubt it works that way, Judeau." Gus answered back.

"Further, for those who lack training in the concrete visualisation of images, thoughts, before they are given form via letters and words, are vague and inconsistent." Schierke explained further the telepathy system she set up. "Until you are accustomed, please sound out the words distinctly in your mind. If you master thought transference, the communication of intent far beyond that of normal conversation becomes possible."

"So, you want us to listen to your instructions then, if you're the centre of this web?" Velouria asked back. "Sure, I'm in, just tell me where there are a good amount of trolls, and I'll slice them up quick."

"C-Come again!?" Isidro exclaimed. "That ain't funny! Just because you can use a little magic, you can-"

He then looks towards Elma, who was a little upset by those words, before then at Richard, who raised a intrigued eyebrow, before the spiky-haired boy let the words die in his throats. "Fine, but you better know how to do this. Or we're doing this our own way. Guts and Richard has done this stuff their own way, and they usually get through with brute force and cold efficiency. Think you can beat that?"

"I'll try to meet expectations." Schierke responded back. "Now then, we should wait a while, while I wait for the opportune time to scout out the village."

* * *

_After a few hour have passed..._

Schierke trudged through the town, as Reimu followed closely behind, per the apprentice's request. They made their way to the front of a large church in the centre of the town, as they could see the idols of the Holy See on the roof itself. From her cap, Ivalera was quite uneasy being near the building.

"Schierke... I don't like this place..." Ivalera told her partner.

"When the trolls attack... If the villages hold up, it will probably be here." She muttered to Reimu.

"So this is the optimal place to set up?' Reimu asked back, before she then pulled out her ofuda. "Just tell me what you need me to set, and I'll get it done for you."

"We might need a magical barrier. Will you be able to put your own magic into it-" Schierke asked, before they were pelted by rocks, interrupting them, as one of them bounced off Schierke's hat, while the others hit Reimu on the bottom, causing her to yelp in pain.

Reimu spun on her heels, looking furious, before seeing two boys giving them sour looks, with rocks in their hands. "What the hell, you brats!? Didn't your mother tell you not to throw rocks at a lady!?" She fumed, pointing her finger at them. "Especially not towards their bottoms! You picking a fight!?"

"Go away, witches!" The first boy shouted, throwing his rock at Reimu, as it smacked her on the stomach. "The priest told us witches and trolls are the same!"

"Go back to the forest!" The other boy yelled, throwing rocks at Schierke, who covered herself with her robe, as Ivalera was demanding Schierke to teach them a lesson.

"You little insufferable brats, I'll teach you some manners the HARD way!" Reimu snarled, before she rolled up her sleeves, before stomping over to the boys, who realised that they picked a bad choice, and turned tail to flee. "GET BACK HERE! I'LL SPANK YOU UNTIL YOUR ASSES ARE RAW!"

"Reimu, please wait. Let them be." Schierke told Reimu, trying to calm her down, as the shrine maiden turned back to her, before resigned with a grumble, walking back over. "We shouldn't pick fights with the villagers here."

"Pft, fine. Not like I'm going to have to deal with those brats, once we do our job here." Reimu scoffed. "Oh, right. Don't think that I didn't see you glaring at that priest hard. You got something to say right up on his face? If you can't handle it, I'll do it for you."

"No... Not just to that priest." Schierke answered back. 'I think that every human in this world, all of them are mistaken about all of this, the witches, faith, and spiritual norms."

"Statement of the century, little witch." Reimu snorted sarcastically, crossing her arms. "You have no idea how much times I had to restrain myself from smacking the heads of those dense idiots upside, preaching about some sort of shitty religion that promotes suffering and inequality. If there was a God here, I'd gladly purge it the same way I do with the other ones."

"O-other ones?" Schierke asked, shocked to hear that Reimu is so casually threatening a religious god.

"Don't think much about it. You seen first-hand our power. And trust me, that's not the full extent." Reimu answered back, before turning to Schierke. "So, spill. What's on your mind?"

"This hill upon which this church is built, it used to be a shrine to the spirits of this land." Schierke stated. "Many of the Holy See's churches are that way, literally crushing the sacred places of the spirit faith where they were built. The current doctrine of the Holy See, is nothing more than a tool by which to display its political and religious power. People invoke the name of God when going to war. They invoke the name of God when seeking salvation, over and over, never tiring, when the key that saves them may be hidden in the very ones they are trying to forget."

"Heh, that's true. Still, trampling the other spirits and minor deities around here..." Reimu stated, before she then sighed. "I know that feeling a lot. At least back where I come from, no god or goddess is powerful enough to completely squash another one of them, in the way they will wane out of existence. Guess that's one more tag onto the list of crimes this holier-than-thou Holy See have done. But you know, I think that you had a bit of a crappy history about this place. Care to share? I won't judge you."

"Long ago, my mistress lived in a habitation in this vicinity." Schierke answered back. "She says she would go around to the needy villages, conveying the spirits' voices to people, teaching them each season's weather and healing the sick. Who knows how many people were saved by my mistress's magic? But when the Holy See's sphere of influence spread through this region, they began building churches in villages. As if they made a complete turnaround, people ostracised her and drove her into that forest. Since then..."

"Yeah, you don't need to elaborate further." Reimu sighed back. "I get the rest of the story. You're sour about how these ungrateful bastards caused her to rot in solitude, and turned to the Holy See, just because it's more 'legit'. Heh, I heard that kind of story once, but I'll tell you something, this story has a happy ending, and you wanna know how?"

"How?" Schierke asked, genuinely curious.

"Because the one, who was in the same situation as your mistress... She didn't stop persevering. Sure, I understand your mistress's reasons for laying low, especially in a shitty world like this." Reimu answered back. "She kept on trying her best to convince the people, and although she failed so many times she couldn't tell how many times she tried, but in the end, she managed to get some people to believe in her, and that eventually snowballed into a large gathering of followers for her. So my advice to you, don't think just because the people shun you, you should just turn your back on them. In fact, if you work harder, then these bastards will be forced to acknowledge your work for them. And this Holy See church is a self-destructive religion. You survive long enough, it'll consume itself up, and then there will nothing for those poor schmucks to believe in. Do you see where we get from there?"

"Reimu..." Schierke stated, as she was touched that Reimu was actually encouraging her to keep working on carrying Flora's duties.

"You know, I'll tell you something, I was a bit like your mistress as well." Reimu admitted. "I worked hard to help the people in my land, but they were quite ungrateful, as they rarely gave me the thanks and even the smallest compensation for my duties. It was a tedious job, but I was quite grumpy with how my work was never repaid. And then I met Richard, who was the person who turned the situation on the head for me. He occasionally visited me, paid me shrine donations, prayed with me, helped maintain my shrine, and even managed to act as a PR-manager for the shrine, luring people to pay and show their respects. Eventually, the Hakurei Shrine, where I came from, became a popular and prosperous place. Who would have imagined that one kid like him would have done all of this? Not me, I tell you."

Suddenly, dark clouds rolled over the skies, as Schierke and Reimu both sensed a disturbance in the magic in the surroundings, as well as a flock of crows cawing out an warning for all to hear.

"So... Time for the plan to begin? Get the guys here? I'll fly ahead and check the numbers." Reimu asked Schierke, before she took to the skies.

Schierke nodded, before she then closed her eyes, and concentrated to connect to everyone, before broadcasting a simple message.

'_The trolls are here! Everyone, to the church!_' She thought frantically.

'_We're coming! Hold tight!_' Gus responded back.

'_I'll get my friends here fast, don't begin yet._' Richard also answered back.

Meanwhile, Reimu was flying over the village, as she could see movement from the forest on one side of the village, as a swarm of trolls rushed towards the village itself.

'_Oi, Schierke, you might want to hurry, they're going to be here any time soon!_' Reimu thought, before she swooped down, and fired persuasion needles right into the heads of the trolls killing some of them, and earning the wrath and attention of a large part of the trolls, who tried to stupidly throw their weapons to take her out. However, she always hovered out of their range, as she shot them with both danmaku and amulets.

Inside the town itself, the warning horn was already blown, as Richard and the others were guiding people to safety, pushing them along quickly.

"Everyone to the church! It's a huge pack of trolls!" The town crier bellowed.

Suddenly, a wave of trolls rushed through one of the alleys,chasing a mother and child. The mother tripped over, as she was holding her daughter in her arms. She screamed for help, scrambling away, as the trolls stepped closer. Serpico acted immediately, as he whipped the Sylph Sword out, swinging it, to no effect, as the trolls looked at Serpico oddly from the gesture.

"Uh...?" Serpico muttered.

"You idiot, don't tell me you forgot what you're supposed to do!?" Velouria roared. "Focus on the sylphs, you slit-eyed bastard! The SYLPHS!"

Velouria's vulgar words managed to get Serpico's attention, as he re-visualised the sylphs on the blade, as the feeling of the magic returned to his hand, as the trolls were approaching Serpico, while the townsfolk fled as Serpico charged the blade up.

"I am depending upon you, spirits!" Serpico boldly declared, as he swung his blade around, creating the cutting whirlwinds that sliced through the trolls, made by the sylphs on the blade, as the trolls were split apart by the slash, surprising everyone.

"Oh yeah, go get them, Serpico!" Isidro cheered for Serpico. "Sweet!"

"You are more fierce than I had expected, spirits." Serpico complimented the sylphs dancing on his blade, as he then slashed again, taking out the trolls that were about to abduct the mother and daughter, as they ducked under. One of the trolls tried to ambush him from above with the spear, but the sylph Cloak activated, creating a ring of wind that slowed the thrown spear down, allowing Serpico to dodge it, and use his blade to slice the troll open with the cutting wings it generated. "So amazing is real magic... quite heartening in a fight against monsters."

"Magic...!" "It's magic!" "Real magic!" The citizens remarked, seeing Serpico's attacks.

"Serpico..." Farnese remarked.

"I'll be damned you're gonna have all the fun!" Isidro exclaimed, before he then charged at the few trolls ahead of him. "Let's go, fire!"

Suddenly, more trolls swarmed through, as Isidro halted on his tracks, before turning away with a fearful expression. "No fire!" Isidro exclaimed.

"Get back into the fight, brat! You got that magic dagger of yours, put it to use!" Velouria growled, to no effect. "Rrrgh... Fine, I'll thin the numbers a bit for you. Virion, stick some arrows into them!"

"I understand, Velouria." Virion responded back, as he drew his bow, before he then rapidly fired arrows at the trolls with accuracy, killing them with fatal shots.

At the same time, Velouria roared, before she then dived into the crowd of trolls, as she sliced through them and their flimsy weapons, as Isidro then turned back.

"Oh, right... Damnit, I forgot your guys are with me. Well, if I'm fleeing right now, with you guys getting your hands dirty... I would be seen a damn coward." Isidro remarked. "Screw it, let's go!"

Isidro then let out a determined war-cry, as he joined the fray with Isidro, as the salamanders on the dagger lit up, with Isidro's unwavering faith in them, before he then sliced his blade through the chest of one of the trolls, igniting it, as the troll screamed before its insides were converted to ash, along with the rest of its body, as the unburnt head rolled into the crowd.

"Oy, blonde boy, get your ass back into the fray!" Velouria shouted. "Tell your girlfriend to take care of the refugees! You as well, Casca!"

"If that is what you wish." Serpico stated, drawing his sword once again. "You might want to be careful where you stand, for you might risk being cut along with the trolls if you don't look where I'm hitting."

"Psh, you'll get your clear shots. Besides, the sylphs know how far to push that blade of wind, so don't let it ruffle your feathers." Velouria responded back.

Suddenly, one of the trolls grabbed the head of the decapitated troll, before then messily chewing into it, much to Isidro's disgust.

"Uugggh, they're eating their own wounded? But that damn thing is dead already!" Isidro complained.

"Not my fault that they're disgusting freaks! I mean, this is revolting for me, and my pack is akin to a bunch of sentient wolves of the wild!" Velouria growled.

Casca and Farnese continued on, before they found that the rest of the group were here, as they were already helping to push back the trolls coming from the other lanes towards the church, as the only one absent was Richard himself. Trolls were falling by the dozen thanks to the effort of the coordinated group, as the citizens were able to make their way into the church safely without any harm.

"Casca, Farnese... Over here!" Gus called out, as he used his greatsword to cut through a line of trolls in front of him. "We managed to get everyone to safety! All that's left is to keep the church protected."

"I know... But where's Richard?" Farnese asked. "Could he possibly have been-"

"No, he's safe." Gus answered back. "He left to wipe out the leading trolls outside the village. He believes that if he can take out the leaders, the number of trolls attacking the village will severely diminish due to a lack of morale without a leading presence among them."

The priest could only watch, as the group held back the trolls with little difficulty, as not a single troll slipped through the lines of defence they formed around the village, as Guts was the most excellent one of the group, his large blade cutting hordes of trolls down without a single expression of exhaustion or weakness on his posture.

"D-Did you see them, father!?" The chieftain remarked, as the citizens were amazed by the performance of the group, as the priest himself was in shock.

"W-whoa... This is a whole another level than the last time we saw them fight!" Ivalera remarked, atop Scheirke's hat, as the little apprentice was standing on the roof of the building. "I mean, just look at that, that brown-haired swordsman didn't need any spirits to conjure up his flames! And the salamanders are actually helping that human-formed dragon there!"

Schierke looked down, as Meiling's strikes were enhanced by a swirling fire around them, created by the salamanders who embraced her limbs, as she watched the group do their duty of holding the troll horde back. "Are we prepared, Ivalera?" She asked the elf pixie.

"I stuck the charm, just like you said, on the wall in the direction you told me." Ivalera answered back.

'_Alright, that should make it work then._' She thought with a sigh of relief, before she then looked down at the people by the doors. "Ahem! Everyone!"

The townspeople looked up where she was, as she then spoke clearly. "I will now use magic to extend a bulwark around this church. Everyone, please, make haste inside."

"What are you doing up there!? Of all the cursed...!" The priest shouted, before turning to the chieftain. "Chief, please go and drag that girl down immediately!"

"Uh, well... Father..." The chieftain stated. "I don't think that it's far-fetched, considering what we're witnessing. Perhaps it would be best to allow them to proceed."

"Argh! Enough! The fact remains that it's dangerous here! Everyone inside, hurry!" The priest exclaimed, as the citizens started filing into the church.

'_Everyone, just a bit longer..._' Schierke conveyed to everyone, especially to Richard, who was just finished with his duty, his blades wet with the darkened blood of the trolls.

'_I'll come to you. I can lend you a hand to reinforce the magical bulwark._' Richard thought to her.

He then immediately focused himself onto where Schierke was situated, before he then opened a sukima, jumped through it, and landed besides the roof, keeping his footing on the tiles. He turned to Schierke, before he noticed that she was already in a trance, eyes closed, and hands on her wooden staff. Her passenger, Ivalera, was surprised by Richard's sudden appearance, as she yelped and almost slipped off her hat.

"What the...!? How did you get here!?" Ivalera blurted out.

"A special kind of magic." Richard answered back. "Now then, how long will it take for the bulwark to be erected?"

"Not too long, with how she's doing so far-" Ivalera responded back.

"Stop that!" The priest shouted, as he climbed onto the roof, with a furious expression on his face.

"Father...! I know what you're about to do, but please... Don't do this. This is for the good of the people!" Richard pleaded back.

"No! Never! Such a wicked deed as this before God...!" The priest growled. "Come down from here this instant!"

"She cannot. She has started her chant. If you interrupt her, then the spell will backfire, and it will be worse for the people!" Richard explained. "Are you willing to put your people to harm by interfering!?"

"Silence! Even should I live until the fullness of my days...! If it's because I relied upon some wicked intervention, what would it mean!?" The priest desperately shouted back. "This is the will of God! This village should entrust all to the fate God has assigned it!"

"...Even if that fate is for us to die forsaken by Him...?" Richard asked back in a low voice. "...Father... God is angry with us...! He is angry that we has used his name in vain! He will not protect us, after all the betrayals we have committed onto him! We cannot rely upon his power solely because it benefits us! We must use our own power, to prove ourselves worthy of his help! This little one here, is the very example of that! Tell me, would you really wish to stop this, even knowing that this is against the wishes of God!?"

The priest was silent, as Farnese and Casca scrambled up to the roof as well, and were about to stop the priest, before he saw that he was stopped by Richard. The priest then fell onto his knees, as he was conflicted on what he should do, as Richard's words struck a chord inside his heart, leaving him unable to act at all.

Richard watched the priest for a while, before he then noticed that there was a great amount of magic welling up in Schierke, as he turned to her.

"Veh. Geplah. Markto. Ategh. Veh. Gedulah. LE ORAHM!" Schierke chanted in a mystic language, before her eyes snapped out, as her green eyes glowed with magical power, and she rose her wooden staff to the air, as the dark clouds above her head parted, shining a bright light down on the church, as it created a prismatic barrier around the church.

Meiling, noticing that the barrier was erected, picked up one of the trolls by the neck, before throwing him right at the church itself just gently enough for it to land on the ground inside of it. The troll tried to stand up, before its entire body was conflagrated by golden flames, as it shrieked, before crumbling away into dark ash. The others watched as the other trolls, who were dumb enough to have been stuck inside the barrier, meet the same fate.

"Look there!" Isidro exclaimed, before he then rushed over back to the church, seeing most of the trolls burning away. "Is that... her magic?"

"Wh-What!? What's happening!?" The priest exclaimed back.

"Somehow I was in time." Schierke muttered, as the priest twisted around to face her.

"What in- Is this something you have done!?" The priest demanded from her.

"I told you, I used magic to extend a bulwark around the church." Schierke answered back stoically. "As long as this barrier does not vanish from my subconsciousness, any ethereal beings that would do us harm within its boundaries are expunged."

"M... Magic... Impossible... I won't admit it. I... such heresy." The priest muttered with utter awe.

"This four-hued light is the spiritual power of great beings deep within the astral world who love and protect us. It has become manifest in the physical world." Schierke stated, raising her head at the light above them. "Those great beings are the four cardinal guardian angels written of in your holy scriptures. Whatever different words you use to express them... The sun is the sun, and light is light."

"Then... What I have been doing..." The priest said to himself.

"That's why I told you to stop. Because not even witches are exempt of doing God's work. They may use different means of invoking miracles and blessings onto this world, but they still must call upon God's power. Priests like you use that power to reinforce the faith in God, as well as help people find salvation, while the witches have the duty of providing much more physical blessings and miracles on the world around us." Richard answered back. "That's why you are wrong in believing that witches are heretical. It is only because their power is misunderstood and mis-perceived, that they have been branded as wicked and evil. Witches and priests invoke His power differently, but it helps the world the same. God's name is something that only He may claim as his own, not for anyone else to use."

"But why? Our mantras do not have this kind of power! They do not call forth miracles like this spell!" Farnese argued.

"A church is a sanctuary where people communicate with angels or spirits. A magician constructs this sanctuary within their own mind." Schierke explained. "The spirit is not of this mortal body, but exists within the spiritual world, right? As for those who exist as ideas, the mind is all with which we can perceive them."

Schierke then threaded her hand through the light. "Regarding magic, the user must always consciously envision the figure of the spirit to be addressed... distinctly enough to perceive it literally." She continued. "It is not an attempt to believe in something one cannot see. So long as there is no margin of doubt, one can see, feel and truly perceive it."

"Spiritual perception... Can this truly be... accomplished?" The priest asked back.

"Yes. Humanity is capable of this. To sense and be sensed, feel and be felt, by those not of this world." Schierke responded back. "Magic, no... 'The arcana of invocation' is not about simply chanting mantras or meditating intently on your own wishes. It begins with recognising and confronting the counterpart to whom you must impart your thoughts. But then, at the same time, there are also great dangers involved by doing so."

"Looks like they can't enter this light." Guts remarked, before he smirked, looking at Schierke. "That's one hell of an girl up there."

Suddenly, there was the sound of thundering footsteps approaching the church, before the source of it crashed through a house, demolishing it, as it was revealed to be a large fleshy creature with a bulbous body, skin and fat hanging off in folds, misshapen, long nubbed head outfitted with tusks, and dark-brown fur covering them from the waist down. Its eyes are placed on the front of their heads on either side of the upper slit of their jaws, which were in a T-like shape, with a snout on the end of its head, and its ears are small and pointed, and rest on the sides of their heads, and three fingers on each hand. It then let out a low rumbling growl, as steam erupted from its snout.

"What... What the hell is that thing...!?" Antonio exclaimed, seeing the grotesque creature in front of him.

'_Ogre! It's an ogre!_' Schierke frantically told everyone through telepathy. '_Why is such a thing in the physical world...!?_'

"Whatever it is, it's going to be DEAD!" Velouria roared, as she charged at the ogre with reckless abandon.

She then cleaved through the ogre's skin, as it managed to draw blood from the ogre, as well as shred some of the fur on it. However, the ogre didn't seem to be quite disturbed, as it tried to swat Velouria away with its large hands. And as well as that, the ogre's wounds were healing slowly, but visibly before the eyes of the wolf-skin.

"You... You think that you're going to outlast me with your regeneration! DREAM ON!" Velouria screamed, as she only tore onto the ogre harder and harder, as she aimed for the legs, cutting muscle and bone with her refined claws, forcing the ogre to kneel, before she then carved at the monster's torso. "Die already! No-one wants to deal with a ugly bastard like you right now!"

However, before she could thrust her claw right into the ogre's stomach, and tear it open, there was suddenly rain on the area, as everyone was notified of it coming down. Velouria stopped for a moment, before she barely reacted in time to dodge a swipe from the ogre, before it then reached for a large wooden beam on the ground, before it then picked it up, and threw it at the church at high speeds. Meiling reacted to intercept it, as she jumped on, and caught the beam, while floating briefly, as the beam knocked her against the wall of the church, although lessening its force enough to make it clatter harmlessly on the ground without damaging the church.

"That... That barrier won't shield the church from physical attacks!?" The chieftain exclaimed.

"Velouria... Please! You have to take down that ogre, before it brings down the church!" Schierke pleaded.

"Already on it! You just sit tight and watch me make mincemeat of this overgrown hunk of flesh-" Velouria growled, before she was blind-sided by a ball of highly-pressured water, as it slammed into her head, sending her spinning around in the air, before slamming into the side of the building, as there was blood leaking from the side of her head, as well as from the ear on the other side, as she seemed to be unresponsive.

"Velouria!" Corrin exclaimed, before she then rushed to face the attacker, a creature, that looked like a small horse with frog-like webbed feet, a long prehensile tongue slithering in its mouth, frog-like eyes, slimy and scaly skin, as well as frog-like bellows. "Richard, please, get Velouria out of battle! I'll fight against this creature!"

"If you say so." Richard responded back, before he then transported Velouria into the church, as the bleeding wolf-skin was slammed roughly on the church floor, as Elma rushed to her aid, quickly chanting spells to heal Velouria, as she slowly repaired her body.

"That's... a kelpie!" Schierke exclaimed. "The rain... It must have attracted it here! So we have to face it as well as an ogre..."

"So... what exactly is an kelpie? I heard it's a kind of marine horse that is rumoured to drown travellers in rivers..." Richard asked the apprentice.

"A kelpie is an aquatic mid-grade spiritual beast. It easily subjugates elementals of the same type, that are of a lower grade than it. And the ones that fall under that category is ones without any individuality." Schierke explained to Richard. "Especially in the rain... It is dangerous... Because with the rain, it can use its powers to no limit."

"Well then... Then Corrin will have a fairly hard fight in her hands. But I assure you, she'll do fine. Hopefully, she won't be forced to transform to out-match it." Richard responded back, before he then looked down at Guts. "Guts! Take care of the ogre, if you need to switch out, we'll do that as soon as Velouria is nursed back to health, ready to fight again!"

"Will do. It's nothing much against what we usually deal with." Guts responded back, before he then moved forward, as he attacked the ogre, before it could try to target the church again.

"Fighting both of them... And the trolls as well... I need time to cast a spell." Schierke told Richard. "Could you..."

"I can do that and more. If you need to speed the process up, hold my hands. I'll use myself as a conduit for your magic, and also supply you with the magic needed to catalyse the spell." Richard responded back, before he then sat down cross-legged on the roof, placing both hands out. "When you're ready. I assure you, I know what I'm doing."

Schierke looked at Richard for a moment, before she then took both of Richard's hands, as the both of them closed their eyes, and started concentrating their magic into their spell. As she worked on the spell, she could feel Richard's power in effect, as Richard was supplying magic through to her at a surprising rate, and his presence in her sanctuary also stabilised the spell to ensure it would not fail.

Meanwhile, down on the ground, both of the members were fighting against their respective opponents evenly, as Corrin used her blade to block most of the balls of water that the kelpie threw at her, even trying to attack it, although her blows were weakened by a barrier of water that the kelpie summoned at will, forcing her to retreat back, to avoid a ball of water aimed at her head. Guts, however, was faring much better, as he broke through the wooden beam that the ogre tried to smash him with, before he then leapt up and cleaved through the ogre with his blade, spilling its guts out. Guts stopped for a moment, as he was about to help Corrin with her opponent, before he then saw a bunch of trolls try to take this opportunity to devour the ogre's exposed entrails. However, this tipped off Guts, as he did not shake his eye of his opponent, as it immediately clamped a hand around one of the trolls, causing the others to flee, before it then threw it at the church, splattering its guts onto the wall, as the remains burned to ash from the barrier.

"Dear lord... Wh-What a spectacle!" The priest remarked, seeing how evenly that the members fought against the wretched monsters.

"You might get your turn if you don't hurry." Ivalera advised a unconscious Schierke.

"Figures... Let's go for another round, ugly." Guts grumbled, before he then attacked the ogre again, as its wound slowly healed up.

Corrin was still struggling against the kelpie, as it became much more aggressive with its attacks, forcing her into a corner. The kelpie took this opportunity to entangle her left leg with its long tongue, before it then produced more balls of water. Corrin growled, before she then slashed through the tongue in a swift motion, as the kelpie let out a pained croak, before Corrin dashed at it, as she thrust her blade at the kelpie. However, the wall of water stopped her attack barely in front of the kelpie. The kelpie then glared at Corrin, before the wall of water wrapped around her head, creating a pocket of water that engulfed it. She struggled back, as she tried to tear the water off her face, although the kelpie manipulated it, so that none of it spilled off her face. After a while, Corrin's face was turning slightly pale from the lack of oxygen. However, she didn't give up at all, as she growled in the water, before she then bellowed, as her face began to morph into a mask of the same shape as her draconic form's head. The kelpie was suddenly surprised by the sudden transformation by Corrin.

"**ENOUGH!**" She boomed, before her left hand into a large bandaged fanged maw, as it gathered a large ball of glowing water, which she then fired at the kelpie. It tried to manipulate the water, although the force guiding it was much more stronger than the mere water spirits that surrounded the area through the rain, as it barrelled into the amphibious creature, sending it flying.

Corrin then followed up on her attack, charging at the kelpie, before she then jumped up, and pulled her left arm back, as it turned into a pointed spike of black scales, with the same magic bandages wrapped around it. The kelpie slowly got up, before its head was pierced through by the dragon-made spike, through its mouth, and back through the lower jaw. It let out a dying croak, before blood leaked down from the spike itself. Corrin withdrew her arm back to human form, as the kelpie fell side-ways, eyes glazed, and blood pooling under its head.

Corrin sighed in relief, before she then noticed that the water was slowly moving again, as she was prepared to fight, expecting to believe the kelpie was very much alive. However, the water didn't rush towards her, instead engulfing trolls inside of it, as they were burning from something inside of the water, slowly turning into ash like the barrier had done with them.

"What the...!? What is happening...!?" Corrin remarked.

"Water spouts under the trolls... Some great magic is occurring..." Judeau stated, before he then looked up at Richard and Schierke.

"What is happening with them...?" Gus wondered.

* * *

_In the astral realm..._

Richard and Schierke floated up into the pitch-black darkness of the astral world, as their bodies were completely glowing white like spirits themselves, as they floated further away from the church below their feet, where there were several faceless wispy figures, each with their own elemental aura.

"Can you sense it, Schierke...?" Richard asked back.

"Indeed, deeper. A little beyond this stratum of the astral world..." Schierke responded back, before they reached a large gathering of tall stones, as there was a large soft blue glowing light hovering above the rocky formation.

"So this is the true sanctuary of the village, not the one that the Holy See pushed onto this place?" Richard stated, looking around.

Schierke approached the centre of the formation, where the light was, before she could see the elementals inside of it, which were small wisps in the shape of mermaid-like beings. "Undines... water elementals." She muttered to herself. "I see. The ones this sanctuary enshrined... It must be..."

Suddenly, a large mass of mist coalesced in the centre of the light, as Schierke watched intently, as Richard rushed over to look. The mass of mist then coalesced into water, which in turn slowly formed the watery figure of the local spirit, although slightly more ethereal, in the terms that her figure had a gentle glow around it, and her figure was almost perfect. It took the form of a mature woman, with short flowing aqua-blue hair.

"Greetings. So you are the ones who have called upon me." The spirit spoke in a resounding female voice, as her eyes opened, revealing the glowing blue irises on them. "I am the spirit of the rill that doth flow through this land, the Lady of the Depths. Long have it been since I have been called upon, after the unholy ones have disposed of my shrine among this village. To think that it would be a witch that would have found me, and a being of immense power."

"Spirit of the rills, we call upon your power to assist us in this times of hardship." Schierke pleaded. "We need to use the power you hold over the undines to create a massive flood to sweep the creatures away."

"That will be done as you requested, young witch." The spirit answered back, before she then turned her gaze to Richard. "Although it is best that your companion would take this task, for he would be able to channel my power more potently than you would."

"Me...?" Richard asked back, pointing at himself, before he then realised what the spirit was talking about. "I see... So it is my mastery of water, that exceeds that of Schierke's. Not only that, my magic power is leagues above Schierke's own. So you would have me be your vessel to command the undines through."

"Rare have I seen a person to which all of the elementals would easily subjugate themselves to." The spirit remarked, before she then turned to Schierke. "Do not mistake this for the fact that you are weak. Your power is quite potent for someone of your age, and the potential lies there. If you cultivate it, you will reach levels beyond even the one beside you."

"Your words humble me, great spirit." Schierke answered back.

"I am honoured to carry your work out, and I have no complaints to allow you to take possession of me, so long as it will be returned back to me." Richard answered back.

"Then the pact has been sealed. Come, we shall enact the spell that you have called for, young witch." The spirit responded back, before she then picked the both of them up, floating them down back to the church, as Schierke re-entered her body, while Richard returned to his own, with the addition of the water spirit.

* * *

_Present time, back in the physical realm..._

When the group looked back up at the two of them, Schierke was already awake, as she looked at Richard, who was already under the water spirit's influence, as water gathered behind him, as it created the form of the water spirit, as it was still seeping water to complete the form. Richard's eyes were half-open, as there was a blue glow to them.

"_**I am of the water kin, the spirit of the rill that doth flow through this land.**_" Both Richard and the water spirit spoke, their voices layering over each other. "_**In accordance with the ancient oath do I cleanse the land of the evil spirits that would stain it. In the name of the Lady of the Depths, I command the undines. With a raging torrent, wash away into the dark depths of the netherworld the wicked spirits that fill this land.**_"

Richard then spread his arms out, as water began to gather around him like typhoon. "_**Gather, my kindred. Gather. Swell. Surge. And flow.**_" The both of them spoke once again.

Everyone then heard the ground tremble underneath them, hard enough to be both heard and felt.

"N... Now what!?" Isidro exclaimed.

"Somehow, this seems bad." Serpico commented as well.

"Everyone, gather around the entrance of the church, above the steps!" Schierke exclaimed. "A great flood will come into town to sweep away the trolls and the monsters! If you're caught in it, you'll be swept away along with them!"

Richard slowly waved his arms, in soft flowing motions, as the glow from his eyes didn't subside. Soon, the rumbling sound grew louder, as the priest looked towards the source, as he was shocked by what he saw, as water began to flood the town streets, coming from the river on one side of the village. With skilful precision, Richard guided the waters, as a sweep of his arms caused the flow of the water to sharply change directions, as it struck the ogre, unbalancing it, and sweeping away the weaker trolls, as they struggled to stay above the water. Richard clenched a hand, as the water itself moved to drag the trolls underneath the water, drowning them inside of the large mass of moving water.

"Look! The trolls are being washed away!" A man cried out, by the door of the church.

"My house..." Another one remarked.

The ogre managed to catch a piece of large wood that was stuck into the ground, as it roared furiously, trying to hold onto it. Guts noticed that if he didn't help out, the ogre was going to weather the flood out himself. So he stepped into the waters, carefully trying to keep himself floating upright, before he then shot towards the ogre, as he drew his blade out, and jumped out to cleave the ogre's head in two at the lower jaw, killing it completely, as the two halves landed in the water and were swept away. Guts then managed to catch several wooden beams himself, using his arms to wrap around them to stop himself from being washed away.

Corrin looked up, as she saw Richard manipulate the localised flood with his magic, as the townspeople looked up, seeing that Richard was channeling the water spirit.

"The trolls... All the monsters got washed away." One of the men spoke.

"We're saved! We've been saved by them both! The mistress witch with the magic bulwark, and the man with the great flood!" Another one declared, before calling out. "Mistress witch! Master sorceror!"

The other townsfolk joined in the chant, as the priest watched in awe, as the threat was easily dealt with, by the two of them.

"Witch... Sorceror..." The priest remarked with a awed tone.

"It's finally done... Richard... you can stop this now." Schierke told Richard, before she then noticed that Richard was not responding at all, as his body was still swaying, with the water spirit manifested behind him. "Richard...? Oh no... He's been... He's becoming one with the water spirit...! I should have done this alone... Now he's going to drain himself to continue this spell until his magic reserves are emptied...!"

"Wait, I can help-" Farnese exclaimed, as she quickly rushed towards Richard.

"No! Don't! If you jolt him out of it, you'll end up trapping his mind in the astral world, by disrupting the link between the physical body and the astral body!" Schierke warned Farnese. "If that happens, he'll become mindless and catatonic! He won't be able to even act anymore!"

"Then what should we do!?" Casca shouted. "We can't let Richard be consumed by the water spirit!"

"I know... But even though it is a certified technique that my mistress taught me... I doubt it'll work against him. He doesn't cast with a wand... Using that method will have no effect!" Schierke argued. "Is there any other way to rouse him back into consciousness!"

Reimu suddenly floated above the church, before she saw what was going on, as she landed on the roof gently.

"Hey, what the hell is going on with Richard right now, Schierke?" Reimu asked the apprentice with a slightly irritated tone.

"He... He channelled the water spirit through himself...! Now his mind is stuck in the astral realm, bonded with the water spirit." Schierke explained.

"So you want to bring him back to his senses, by bringing his spirit, or whatever your equivalent in this world is, back into his body." Reimu responded back before she then nodded. "I see. Alright then, I'll handle this. Don't worry about me rendering him a vegetable with what I'm doing, I've done this kind of thing to people in much worse situations than he is."

Reimu then walked over, before she then placed both of her hands on his shoulders gently, and closing her eyes, as her hair began to flicker and wave, as if some sort of force was levitating it.

"Richard... Come back here right now... This ain't the time or place for you to be stuck inside here." Reimu stated. "If you can hear me... come back to us. Come back to your friends..."

* * *

_In the astral world..._

The water spirit was embracing Richard's astral body, which was on the ground, kneeling, as he felt the soothing arms of water wrap around his figure.

"**It is not your time to go, young magician.**" The water spirit responded back. "**Stay with me... I require you in order to complete our duties.**"

"Not... yet..." The astral body of Richard responded back weakly. "I... I still have a purpose in this world..."

As the two of them remained there, various ripples appeared on the surface of the flooded formation around them, as voices rang out of them.

'_This tea... It is remarkably soothing... Reimu..._'

'_Come now, surely the one who mentored an ice fairy, isn't afraid of the cold winter waters?'_

'_H-Hi... I'm Wakasagihime... It's... It's nice to meet you._'

'_The earth... It hurts... It HURTS! Somebody... Somebody return me to the water!__ I'm choking in pain!_'

'_Here's your cucumber, little kappa._'

Richard's eyes slowly drooped, before he then heard the words of Reimu, that rang through his head, as it repeated a few times.

"_Come back to us... Come back to your friends... Come back to us... Come back to your friends..._"

Richard's eyes suddenly flicked open, as he stood up, as the water spirit was dragged up, surprised by how Richard's willpower returned to him.

"I'm sorry... But I cannot go with you, faithful spirit. I have my own duties to achieve." Richard responded back, his voice sounding much more better than before. "However, fear not, for you will not be forgotten, and you will faith restored in you, by those here who witnessed your miracle. I am me. And you are you. We are not the same. Continue your duty, spirit of the rill, for you will see it done yet."

Suddenly, a bright light engulfed Richard's ethereal form, as he disappeared from the astral realm.

* * *

_Back in the physical world..._

Reimu felt something coming along, as she could sense that Richard's astral self was returning back to his physical body, as she opened her eyes.

"He's returning. The spell should dissipate soon." Reimu told the others.

"That's a relief... I thought that he would..." Casca sighed, before the church was rocked heavily, as something hard hit the side of the church, which was the larger parts of the house that the ogre barreled through before, as Casca, who was standing over one edge of the roof, slipped over it, as she fell towards the flood. "Huh...?"

"Ah! Casca!" Farnese shouted, as she ran and caught Casca, although she herself was about to fall as well. However, before that could happen, Reimu caught her in turn, as she dug her heels into the side of the roof, before using her strength pull them back up.

"I got you..." Reimu responded back, before she then huffed, when the three of them were safely back on the roof.

The projection of the spirit slowly faded away behind Richard, as Richard's eyes snapped open fully, as the glow died away as well. At the same time, the flood disappeared, as the streets were filled with wooden debris, as well as rocks that were washed up by the flood eroding the ground away, and several houses that were torn apart by the flood as collateral.

The townspeople, who heard the flood stop, stepped outside of the building, as the group on the roof descended down to the ground. The villagers then looked around, as they saw that the entire town was bare of any trolls.

"It's over..." One of them muttered under his breath.

'It's all over. It's really all over!" Another one cried. "And no-one else had to die!"

The villagers then broke into a collective cry of relief, joy and triumph, while the group of heroes moved out, looking around.

"Well, other than the town suffering some collateral damage... I'd say that this is a job well done." Richard remarked with a smile on his lips, and hand on his head. "Geez, I owe you one, Reimu. I don't know how much I'd have to deal with, before I would eventually wake up."

"...What do you mean?" Schierke asked, confused by his words.

"Well, the rill spirit did try to merge with me." Richard answered back. "However, I'm far too strong to be simply absorbed by her. She'll have to do so when I'm tired enough for my own willpower to be faint enough to succeed. I wasn't near that state, but not close enough to get out either, thanks to the spirit bearing a load on my mind. Reimu did a bit of spiritual cleansing on me, the less invasive kind, which restored my mental energy, and allowed me to return to the body in time."

"I see... So you did have a means of leaving the astral plane, and maintaining your individuality when being possessed by the spirit." Schierke responded back. "I felt like that I would have needed something to knock me out of such a trance."

The group then turned around, as they saw the grateful villagers, led by the chieftain, who had a beaming smile on his face.

"Thank you! Thank you, mistress witch!" A boy cried.

"The Great Witch of the Spirit Tree Forest! The Saviour of Enoch Village!" The crowd cried in unison.

"Hey, how in the world can you get to do those amazing things? Covering the church in light, and then the man with you, making that powerful flood?" A girl asked the apprentice witch.

"Eh!? Um, well... I borrowed the power of angels and spirits. What saved the village were the four archangels in your scriptures that guard north, south, east and west. And not only them, but also one whose shrine was on this land even before the church came to be. A river spirit called the 'Lady of the Depths.'. That was the spirit that my companion had channelled through."

"The depths!? I don't know her, but if she's an angel, we pray every day to her." The girl responded back.

"Oh yes, I heard talk of her from my great grandfather." An elderly man responded back. "Seems long ago, there was a shrine to the river god on this hill."

"I would like to extend my apologies for the damage to your village that the flood had done." Richard apologised profusely. "Because of my own overwhelming magical power, the flood conjured was too powerful to fully control, some of it ran wild to destroy houses. It is my inexperience that led your village to be damaged when it should have not."

"That's no concern." A man smiled back. "Houses can be rebuilt, but lives cannot be returned back. The fact that we're still alive is thanks to you and that witch beside you."

"Your words humble me." Richard bowed deeply in response.

"Father... If you could... might you build a small shrine to the river spirit in the western quarter of this plaza?" Schierke asked the priest.

"...Fair enough. Tolerance, too... is God's teaching." The priest relented.

"You are most correct, father. There are many spirits and deities that help God in his duties, to help others and restore the world." Richard answered back. "It is not wrong to worship them, even if it is to a lesser degree than what you devote to God himself."

"What an astonishment though! A child like you, and a young man like him, makes miracles like that happen! Is magic something anyone can use?" A housewife asked.

"Learning magic requires extensive training. But if you want angels and spirits to hear your wishes. There are things anyone can do." Schierke responded back, before turning to the priest. "Your priest... is well acquainted with the way how."

The priest nodded, with a understanding smile on his lips, before the group then turned to leave, as the party were given warm farewells by the group.

"Well... That went quite well. The village is safe from the trolls." Judeau stated.

"Not for long." Richard frowned back, before turning to Schierke. "Schierke... Could I ask if you could sense where the surviving trolls have fled to?"

"I do have a good understanding where they have fled to." Schierke answered back, as she had her hands on her staff, before she closed her eyes, and concentrated. "But I will need to make sure by tracing the residual thoughts of the trolls, as well as the flow of od in this area."

"Wait, I thought that we saved the village? Why do we have to- Oh... Oooh!" Isidro exclaimed, before realising what was going on. "We only took out a small portion of them, right? I bet that there would be more incoming from whatever place they came from! That's why we're going to turn the tables against them, and raid their nest, right?"

"It is a valid strategy, to attack your enemies' hideout, in order to stall their advances, if not destroy their capabilities to launch attacks." Meiling answered back with crossed arms. "And we seem to be capable enough to handle clearing the nest out, if we can locate it."

"I've located it. Please follow." Schierke responded back, as she led the group to where she believed the trolls have sheltered themselves in.

* * *

_In a cave hidden in the forest..._

The group descended into the deepest and darkest parts of the forest, as Elma, Schierke, Richard provided light for the entire group, with the former two using their staffs to do so, glowing at the tip, while Richard summoned a series of revolving light orbs that gave the group more vision in the darkness.

"You sure they're in this direction?" Isidro asked Schierke.

"She's on the right direction. Some of us can sense the distortion in this place, as well as the corruption. This is no ordinary place." Gus answered back, gesturing at the worried and tense expressions of Richard, Reimu, Elma and Meiling. "I doubt that we could go wrong with how they're feeling."

"Do you think that we're capable of clearing this trolls' nest, as you put it, guys?" Judeau asked the others.

"We don't know if we don't try." Corrin answered back. "And I know that there are other villagers, who have been left to rot inside this foul place. We also must rescue them, if they are still in sound condition."

"You know, though... Haven't the surroundings been getting gradually weirder since back there?" Isidro remarked, looking around, seeing that the trees around them were turning more and more crooked and gnarled, the further into the foul forest they go. "It's like the complete opposite of when we got to the witches' mansion."

Suddenly, the Brands acted up, alerting the bearers to the presence of something, as they turned towards it, while Richard flicked a light orb in the direction of the disturbance. When the light reached it, they saw a puny little creature that was a arm-less being with round human eyes, a grotesquely large nose, and short pointed ears, as its legs and feet were quite small.

"What the... What manner of creature is this...?" Virion asked.

"It looks strange... It doesn't look like a threat at all..." Farnese added her opinion.

"Leave it to me." Schierke told everyone, before she made a short chant, that seemed to spook the small creature, as it let out a surprised squeak, before running into the darkness of the forest ahead of them.

"Excuse me, but could you answer the question!?" Velouria shouted. "That looked like some sort of mythological creature, but it just doesn't look right!"

"That's a spirit creature. So it is just as I feared, when I sensed them." Schierke answered back. "This is the astral world, but it is not a very pleasant place for anyone to be in. This is the astral world's region of darkness, Qliphoth."

"I see..." Richard answered back. "Explains the chaotic dark energies flowing in this place. If I recall what I've been told about od by your mistress, the summary is that the astral world has many regions and areas, much like the sanctuary that Schierke and I entered to find the river spirit. Ethereal bodies, or spirits are attracted by ods of the same nature as them. And so, there would inevitably be a region of darkness, where the dark desires of the heart manifest in flesh and form, which is Qliphoth."

"Indeed. Normally, this could not happen. The astral and physical worlds, so distinctly overlapping each other..." Schierke answered back. "The trolls, ogres and elves and spirit creatures, are ethereal lifeforms that are being perceived by humans almost as if they had physical bodies. They are originally inhabitants of our mental world... In nocturnal fantasies and dreams. If they were to be moved into the physical world... then the world will be transformed. Although that has long started, ever since the rebirth of the White Hawk."

Guts flinched, hearing those words, as his hands tightened from hate of Griffith, as Richard was silent.

"With that, the troll's den is further into the region." Schierke explained, clarifying that the trolls don't have a nest, but a den instead, despite the guess-work of the others. "We should be safe as long as we can protect ourselves, and create energy to repel their attention from us."

Elma shivered a little, seeing the various grotesque creatures inside of the region, before she was comforted by Gunter holding her close, as the rest of the group proceeded through the region. The environment around them was deformed, as there were agonised faces on tree branches, living growth in the form of mushrooms with horrifying faces, and even flying eyeballs with insect legs and wings.

"This place... It reminds of me of that domain of the damned gap hag..." Reimu remarked, as she felt a slight chill down her spine. "It feel so utterly wrong..."

They soon reach the gaping mouth of the trolls' den, as they couldn't see much in the darkness, although they saw that the den was a fairly normal cave from where they stood, although they felt otherwise.

"The trolls retreated back to here. I am certain of it." Schierke answered back.

"Then into the breach we go then." Richard answered back, checking his group, to make sure that everyone was fine. When he was sure that everyone was prepared to enter the dark den, the group followed inside of it, slowly descending into the depths of the den.

They were slightly disturbed, when they heard the sound of countless woman cries in the distance, each of them filled with despair and horror, as well as the faint sound of wet thumping sounds that sometimes accompanied it, and also the sound of female screams reverberating with a fleshy popping sound. Richard, who was aware of what the sounds were, grimaced greatly, while the others were left speculating with fear and disgust in their minds.

"What... What the hell are those... things doing over there...?" Antonio growled. "Could... Could they possibly be fucking them like a cum-dumpster?"

"I never thought I'd live to hear you say that, Antonio..." Richard sighed, as the humanised hedgehog glared back.

"Please, I've heard my fair share of cursing over the years I have been raised." Antonio responded back. "These kind of terms are no stranger to me."

"They're... They're truly monsters... all of them..." Elma shivered with fear in her voice. "Never... Never have I faced monsters that are so malevolent and cruel to others... Even compared to Mammon and Levia... They're far too cruel...!"

"It's the hard truth." Reimu growled back at the demoness. "That world of yours, is fairly tame compared to the true horrors this place have to offer, and there are more of them that you'll face with us in the future. So I suggest you brace yourself, and get used to seeing these kind of disgusting trash. They don't even deserve to be considered living beings with how they act."

Suddenly, Richard heard the sound of frantic crawling, as the group was in alert, drawing their weapons, prepared to face the threat. However, as they did so, the person came out into the light, as it was a woman, completely naked, with the tell-tale signs of cruel rape on her privates, troll semen spattered around her waist, as her belly was slightly swollen, like something was growing inside of it. Her eyes were completely restless, as her expression was frozen in great amounts of fear.

"Help... Help..." She cried weakly at the group, slowly crawling towards them, as the group were horrified at the condition of the lady. "Somebody... help..."

"Dear gods...! What has happened to her!?" Virion exclaimed, as he felt furious at the trolls. "How could they ravage a beautiful maiden like that so cruelly!? They're beyond simple monsters, to have committed such a depraved deed."

"...What do we do... Richard?" Gus asked, before he then saw Richard's pale expression. "Richard...? Are you..."

"Everyone who doesn't want to see the results, cover your ears and close your eyes." Richard warned everyone. "You don't need to see this. You absolutely don't want to hear this either...!"

"What the hell are you talking about!?" Reimu asked, before she then looked back at the woman, whose expression suddenly contorted with paralysing agony. "Oh... Oh fuck..."

"Do it now... Do it now goddamnit!" Richard barked loudly. "The rest of you who can stomach what is to come, shield those who cannot. You don't have long to decide, because it will soon happen!"

The group immediately moved into motion, as Gunter covered Elma's eyes with his armoured arms, while the demoness covered her own ears, wary of the warning, Casca turned Farnese away, as she covered the blonde woman's ears. Gus did the same with Velouria, who complied and shut her eyes tightly. Pick was shoved back into Elma's cloak by a desperate Guts, while Judeau covered the boy's ears, and turned around to cover the boy's face with his chest to obscure his vision. Meiling did the same for Schierke, as Ivalera ducked back into the apprentice's hat. For extra measure, he used some wind magic to cut the flow of air around the ears of the meek, in order to mute the sounds of what is to come.

The naked woman then curled, as froth leaked from the corners of her mouth, moving into a fetal position, while clutching her increasingly swollen stomach with both hands.

"Gh... Igggh... It hurts... It hurts...! Somebody... help...! IT HURTS!" She screamed, trembling in pain, before she then flipped over, back on ground, as something was pounding against her abdomen. "Help me...! No...! Stopp...! I don't want to...! Please...! Somebody... save me...! I'm going to die...! I'm going to die!"

Richard then braced himself, as the others did the same, as the woman suddenly convulsed strongly, as the strikes from within her abdomen grew wilder and stronger, before, with a deafening ripping sound from her flesh, her guts were forced out of the torn belly of the woman, as she let out a dying scream of immeasurable suffering, as the ugly forms of the infant trolls crawled out of the dying woman. With a flick of his hand, he quickly burned the woman and the trolls, both to end her suffering quickly, and to ensure the newborn trolls don't escape death.

"...S-Shit... Did that... Did that just happen!?" Judeau swore, utterly mortified by what he saw.

"...They impregnated her by force... And then the newborn would literally tear their carrier apart to sustain themselves..." Reimu muttered, before she then turned her head away. "Damnit... This is... This is...!"

"Beyond fucked-up...?" Richard finished Reimu's sentence with a grim expression, before he turned to the others. "...Damnit, we were too late to stop this. She was a lost cause either way. I don't possess any magic that could rid her of the newborn trolls tearing her apart, and keep her alive for the whole process. She was a time bomb from the moment the trolls finished their 'rituals' on her. All I could grant her was a quick burning to ensure she didn't suffer long."

"...They must be eradicated." Meiling stated. "For them to reproduce in such a vulgar and cruel manner, so that they could reproduce more to continue their rampage of murdering innocent people, and pilfering livestock... They are truly scum."

"Talk about a fucked-up C-section there..." Antonio hissed in regret. "Shit..."

"I agree with you there." Richard stated, before he then released the wind magic he was using. "Come on, we need to get moving, and find the other trolls, before more women meet the same fate as the one before us did."

Every witness of the event grimly nodded, as the others were fairly oblivious to what had happened, although looking at the sorrowful mourning expressions on their faces, they had a good idea of what might have happened, although the details were not exact without witnessing it directly.

Richard used his magic sensors to try and detect any of the human women in the den, as he was able to find faint traces, although some of them abruptly disappeared, meaning to him that they must have died by the fatal birthing methods of the newborn trolls.

When they managed to reach the area, they managed to find the women, who were being raped by the trolls, as there were also other spiritual creatures feeding on the misery and suffering of the female victims. When Richard got a clear view of the scene, his right hand clenched so tightly, that the sound of bone cracking could be heard audibly, as Richard's expression were fairly serene, although his burning eyes were telling a different story.

"All those people... How could they...?" Elma asked, before he then saw Richard stretch his left hand out, his expression completely still. "...Richard?"

Suddenly, sukimas appeared above the heads of the raping trolls, before he then thrust his left hand down, as weapons sprouted out of them, piercing through the heads of the trolls, stopping them mid-thrust. The trolls were then pulled back by the strong force behind the weapons, pulling them out of their victims. The women who were still alive and untouched, looked up at the group with pleading eyes filled with hope and dependence.

The trolls, who were also turning to the group, let out a collective grunt, as they rushed at the group. However, Meiling rushed up to counter their charges, as she charged her own fists with enough power to gib them into many bloody pieces with even the lightest of strikes, as she rained blood around the area. Richard also jumped into the fray, as he was screamed with pure rage, cutting down trolls by the dozen with uncontrolled swings full of power.

Meanwhile, Schierke took advantage of the chaos to get the attention of the female villagers. "Enoch villagers! We are here to rescue you! We must leave this place immediately!" She cried out to the female victims, as they spoke amongst each other. "Please, come with us!"

Velouria rushed over to an area, as she managed to find the captured children as well, as they were stripped naked like the women. Gus also joined in, as the two of them quickly helped the children back up, as they rushed behind the group to safety, along with the women, covered by Richard and Meiling tearing through the trolls like nothing was stopping them.

"Uggh! There's still this many!? This's more and attacked the village!" Isidro exclaimed, seeing more trolls flood into the room.

"He can handle it." Reimu responded back, gesturing to Richard, who was taking out the reinforcements with little ease as well, his voice still filled with rage, as his voice was beginning to get a little hoarse through the constant screaming. "But the question is... Who do you think will be enough to take care of this boatload of trolls, while the rest of us get all of these villagers to safety?"

"Looks like I'm going to be needed here." Guts responded back, before he then stepped up, pulling out his blade. "I'll keep them busy with Richard and Meilng."

"...I would say that even these numbers are worrying, regarding the skill that you all have... But I can only trust you to hold the line." Schierke answered back. "Just make sure that all of you make it back together alive."

"Trust me... They'll see what the Hundred-Man Slayer has developed into all those years." Guts sneered back. "Now get going, and take the rest of the group with you. I'm sure a few stray trolls won't stop you guys, right?"

"Actually, if we're going to do that, might as well get Meiling to come back to us and help us escape, in case we have to fight an ogre again." Reimu answered back, before turning to Meiling. "Meiling! We need you get back to help us in bringing the refugees back!"

"But... Richard... And Guts as well..." Meiling stated, looking at the both of them, who were already in battle fever, cutting through the troll numbers ferociously. "I can't simply leave them to fight all of them alone. What if either of them tire?"

"I doubt that's going to happen. Besides, you know that it'll take a lot more than a horde of these freaks to bring our leader down." Reimu assured Meiling. "Now then, you coming or no?"

Meiling then shot a glance at Richard, who was still raging, as she sighed and used her ki to leap back to the group. "Alright, but if things go wrong, some of us will break off to rescue them."

"Won't dream of it, Meiling." Gus stated. "We wouldn't really abandon Richard to die here, nor would we with Guts."

The group made their way outside, as the few trolls that tried to ambush them, were easily dispatched by any member of the group, not letting the monster even come close to laying a finger onto either a woman or child in the crowd of people they were escorting to safety. As they continued along the passage, they were faced with more trolls, although, before they could engage them, Schierke sensed a very strong presence coming through their way.

"Something... with tremendous force is coming...!" Schierke exclaimed. "Everyone. please prepare yourselves!"

The group readied themselves, before they felt a strong wind coming their way, as it cut through the heads of the trolls behind and in front of them like invisible blades, while the children and women were shaken badly by the strong gust, as the group were the only ones who could remain standing still.

"Wha...?! What was that!?" Isidro exclaimed, before turning to Schierke. "Don't tell me you got into a deal with a wind spirit like Richard did with the river spirit, right?"

"As much as I wish to benefit from this... I regretably say that this is not of my doing. My sylphs are not capable of such power." Serpico denied.

"I felt something... familiar... as if we met the person who had this kind of energy..." Elma remarked. "It felt... demonic..."

"Wait... I think I know who it is... And damn... It's not a good person to meet at this time..." Reimu growled.

"Who is it then...?" Gus asked.

"There's no mistaking it, that depraved aura of theirs... It's..."

At the same time, Casca collapsed, as her Brand immediately acted up, as it began to bleed heavily.

"Argh... This... This feeling... It's painful...!" Casca growled, clutching her brand.

"What!? But I thought those ink charms were meant to prevent them acting up!" Velouria exclaimed.

"Not if it's one of the ones that we're going to have trouble dealing with." Reimu responded back, before she then noticed Schierke attempting to tap into the astral world to see what was going on. "Don't try. I checked already, and it's a chaotic swarm of a mess. You try, and you're going to go insane trying to comprehend all of it."

"Well, out with then...!" Antonio shouted. "Who is it? One of the God Hand!? Or a really strong apostle who could move like the wind!?"

"You're right on the first guess... The one that just passed us... Was no other than that slutty seductress, Slan herself." Reimu spat out.

* * *

_Back with Richard and Guts..._

Both of the warriors were panting, as all of the trolls laid slain before them, cut to pieces, as they looked around at the pile of monster corpses surrounding them.

"Well, we showed them what for, didn't we, Guts?" Richard huffed back.

"Damn right... I guess it's about that time." Guts responded back, as they were about to turn around to leave.

However, before they could, they felt a overbearing presence approaching them, as the Brands reacted strongly, despite the charms that Schierke applied over them, as they bled and ached heavily. Not only that, but Richard was able to sense the power itself, as he realised who that power belonged to.

"You feel that...?" Richard asked Guts, to which the black-haired warrior nodded back. "I feel like we're not done here yet. We got another customer to service, and it's a tough one. I do believe that you and I are going to be most familiar with them."

Suddenly, they looked to the pool of blood around them, as there was something emerging inside of it, as ripples began to form in the centre of the crimson pool of bodily fluid. And then suddenly over the puddle itself, the entrails of the trolls slowly moved to the spot, as they merged and meshed together noisily with squelching noises and slowly. The mass of meat then slowly melded together against itself to become smoother, as it slowly formed a pair of large breasts, before the face and arms were created next, as Richard and Guts recognised the face that was forming.

After a while, the flesh-coloured form of Slan was created, as only her upper half was formed, while her lower half, down to her feet, were covered with the entrails of the trolls, before her black sharp wings sprouted and unfolded from her back.

"The first form I've taken in some time..." Slan spoke with lust in her voice. "Alas, troll entrails make for a revolting ethereal figure."

Guts roared, as he leapt into the air, with blade raised, as there was anger in his eyes. Slan merely smiled back, before her lower wings folded forward when Guts was in range, wrapping around him, and slamming him into the pool of blood. As Guts tried to recover, hacking up the dirtied blood that got into his mouth, Slan quickly embraced him with her arms, dragging him closer, as their eyes met, pure red to vengeful brown.

"I've missed you, boys. It has been so long." Slan chuckled, as her tentacled hair wrapped around Guts's head like a turban, as the man snarled. "No, I felt you both at all times. In the cave... At the tower... Throughout the countless nights. I feel all of your passions. And as the path unfolded, I knew that you'd come to my domain, Qliphoth."

She then moved her hand over the rune-covered Brand, as she stroked it gently, as her own corruption eroded the inked charm easily. "Now, let me feel it more. Your rage. Your anguish. Let it all loose."

Before Slan could do anything more, she was forced to release Guts, as two swords brushed past where her arms were, and almost missing Guts as well, before a sukima appeared behind Guts, as he fell into it, and was deposited on the ground.

"Guts... you alright...?" Richard asked Guts with concern.

"Aside from feeling a little bit hot with my anger, I'm fairly fine. The bitch didn't even try to tear me open." Guts answered back.

"My, my. I thought that you were a gentleman. One should not meddle in the clandestine affairs of men and women, Richard. How uncouth of you." Slan mocked back with a lick around her lips in seduction.

"Rich coming from a bitch with a high-horse, who advocates rape and martial disloyalty." Richard retorted back, drawing his blades. "You wanted this threesome, then you'll have to learn to take both of our loads, before you try to assert your dominance on us. Or are you going to be a impolite slut and ruin that as well then, Slan?"

"Oh, quite the scalding tongue from you, young magician." Slan remarked, with parted lips. "I'm sure that you might have enjoyed the orgy that has been performed here. I'm sure that this would be the pinnacle of bestial lust, don't you think...?"

"Funny... You were trying to piss me off saying that, but I feel nothing hearing that." Richard responded back mirthlessly. 'But I wasted enough sweet talk with you. Let's get to the foreplay, don't we? Hope you can switch roles, and take it like a submissive bitch, because I'm going to rip you apart. You ain't as powerful as you were back in the Eclipse, having to manifest forcefully through physical manifestation. You're not going to have a fun time trying to get one over this man!"

Richard then dashed towards Slan, as he slashed at Slan with his blades, as his attacks were blocked by the seductive demon's wings mostly, as glancing blows did hit Slan occasionally, although all it did was arouse Slan further.

"Yes... This is what I wanted..." Slan giggled."Your hatred, and the agony hiding in your souls, being flaunted for all to see in the vicinity. Now then, Rebel and Struggler, defy me, break me. Take those blades of yours and penetrate me. Or can you? The Struggler is only human, while the Rebel teeters between humanity and demonhood with little space in between."

"Oh, shut up." Richard growled back, before he then opened his hand. "How about you start showing me what you got, rather than talking shit like the nose-raiser you are. You're not getting nowhere trying to turtle up. I will cut through those wings of yours, given time, and then you'll get the taste of my blade cutting through your guts. Sounds hot, doesn't it? How about you do a man a favour, and part yourself for access? I'll make this sharp and sweet."

"Sorry, boy, but you gotta earn your keep around here." Slan stated, before her front wings lowered into the pool of blood. "Although I've toyed with you enough. It's time for me to enjoy myself."

Her other set of barbed wings attacked Richard from the sides, as Richard floated in the air, dodging the attack from the wings, as he countered each of them with a parrying swing, knocking them back, as he also fired back with his magic, to attempt to harm the God Hand member, although she shielded herself well with her wings.

"Is that really all you got? Is flaunting those wings of yours all you can do with what little power you have? Come on, you wanted this to be fun, so give me a good time, Slan! You wanted this after all!" Richard mocked back, as he dodged another wing swipe.

"Oh, maybe I can only do so little, and I can't harm you. Your friend, however..." Slan cackled, before her wings drove through the ground, as they aimed for Guts's legs.

"Shit! Move, Guts!" Richard shouted back, before he then rushed to Guts in order to help him. However, it turned out to be a ruse by Slan, as the wings rose, and suddenly clamped onto his arms, as the barbs on the wings' tips pierced through his elbows, rendering him unable to move his arm at all. "...Argh... Well played, you bitch..."

"Richard!" Guts shouted, as he tried to free Richard while he was being dragged back by Slan. However, it didn't work, as Slan made a barrier with her other set of wings, impeding the path of the hulking blade-wielder.

"Come on... do your worst..." Richard growled back in defiance, as he was inches from Slan's face. "You can't break me that easily, and although I bleed, you will have to try to kill me, agonising or not!"

"Well then, I did say I was after some agony from you two..." Slan stated coyly, before she then withdrew one of her wings to jam the barb right into his chest, before slicing it open with a large gash, as blood leaked from it, and Richard growled in immense pain. "Yes, yes! That expression of pain on your face... It looked terribly cute in front of me! Trying to act like it didn't hurt you at all! Sometimes, I wonder why you were never an apostle for us. Why not make a sacrifice, as He did?"

"Heh, two points on that, Slan." Richard smirked back, still in pain after the attack, as blood dripped down his torn robe. "One, like hell I'm substituting a simple wish for what remain of my humanity and sanity, especially not when you assholes are cheap as well, and two, what makes you think I have a desire worthy of ascending with? I wonder how you came to be, Slan? Must have fucked a lot of men, who were one-nighters? Well, ain't much better when the only ones you can actually fuck reliably are those ugly blobs of flesh you call your monster followers."

"Heh, such trash talk, even when you're bleeding. I've decided. You'll be quite the entertaining toy to keep around. I might have you indulge me." Slan chuckled, before she then raised both of her upper wings in front of Richard, allowing Guts to advance unimpeded. "Now then, do scream for me, it'll make this all the more fun."

"Well, have fun with neglect play, you lonely whore!" Richard spat back defiantly, as he saw Slan's expression twitch slightly. Guts was behind him, as he was rushing to save his friend, although he was too far to help him.

However, before Slan could cut open Richard's chest at a deeper degree, two large metal chevrons spun through the air, embedding themselves into Slan's lower wings, forcing them to release Richard, as the barbed tips were almost severed by the force of the attack.

"My, how uncouth." Slan commented dryly, before looking up at the source of the attack, as it was the skeletal knight, who used parts of his armour's collar as the chevron projectiles that released Richard. "You are interrupting some good times I am having with this fiesty outsider and his friend. Or do you want to join this threesome, and make it four?"

"Whore princess of the Uterine Sea. So, you were the only ones summoned." The skeletal knight remarked.

"Summoned, you say?" Slan asked, as she spread her wings and arms out. "I came here on my own. I wished to see these boys again. You do realise, don't you? This is what the emergence of the Fifth means. The worlds are already starting to overlap. I have no idea about the others. They likely melted into their preferred sephira, and are floating formless."

"Then the time for talk is past." The skeletal knight remarked.

"Men. All so very impatient." Slan cooed, before she smirked. "However, trying their patience is a woman's prerogative. This place might as well be my womb. Rage with fury, bastard fetuses of darkness."

Guts watched as, from the fleshy ground itself, several ogres rose, all looking completely mature, as they surrounded the skeletal knight.

"What the... There's several of them here...!?' Guts exclaimed, before he then noticed that a large horde of trolls was also conjured up.

The skeletal knight didn't speak another word, as he attacked the ogres, using his mount to dodge their attacks so easily, and then using his blade to cleave through their heads with a single strike, as these wounds never healed, being lethal, and the ogres fell one by one. Guts was also faring well against the horde of trolls, using the equipment at hand and his blade to keep himself alive and well.

Suddenly, more and more creatures rose, as Slan watched all of this, with a amusing look in her eyes.

"Well, your majesty and boy. Are you enjoying this?" Slan told them both. "This is the Uterus of Darkness. The vicinity of the netherworld where abominable spirits take ethereal form. It can spew forth any number of these children, like mere worms."

"It doesn't matter how many of those things you throw at us! We aren't going to yield! I survived your damn Eclipse, and I certainly won't die to your foul trolls!" Guts growled back. "You are going to exhaust yourself long before you can finish the job, bitch!"

"Oh...? And what makes you think that? I am a God Hand. Even in this physical form, my power is still vast." Slan mocked back.

"Perhaps... But you will not be able to use your full power, God Hand. For the time has come... The time is at hand... for this charade to end?"

"Oh, and how so-" Slan remarked, before she then looked down, and was genuinely surprised by the sight of Richard, raising both of his hands, as there was a prismatic magic circle in front of you. "What...!?"

"Like I said, you got a real high-horse, Slan." Richard smirked back. "You were so sure of your victory and your abilities, that you neglected to look down. Funny, if you had a sense of fear, you would have followed it, and noticed my ambush. But I guess that you're more than human now, lacking any of the human qualities. That... is your inevitable downfall, because your godly powers... mean shit if you don't the right mindset to match it. Now then, clench you teeth and buckle up, whore, you're about to get the most intense thrusting you will ever feel!"

Richard then fired his spell, as the multi-coloured beam of light pierced through Slan's torso before she could react, as she was shocked for a moment, before it turned to pleasure from the immense pain that she could feel, as there was a large gaping hole where her torso was.

"So hot... So cold... So smooth... So rough... All at the same time... I could orgasm if my body wasn't destroyed like this..." Slan moaned with pleasure.

"Being hit by a concentrated Arcana Beam directly would do that to you, you sadomasochistic slut." Richard sneered, before he then stood up, and held Divine Judge in both of his arms, as his injured arms were barely strong enough to keep hold of it tight enough to wield it properly. "Now then..."

Richard then jumped up, and thrust the entire length of the blade through Slan's neck, as she let out another pleasured cry, while Richard held onto the hilt of the blade, with one arm.

"Oh yes... My womb is vaporised by your strike, life and death writhing in a non-existent organ... The pleasure is near-endless! And your blade choking me through the outside and inside!" Slan panted erotically, before she tried to move in for a kiss on Richard's lips. "You're the-"

Richard surprised her again, as he snapped a arm around her head, before slamming her onto his lips with inhuman strength, as he gave her a kiss both strong and deep enough to pierce through rock, as Slan was stunned for a moment, before Richard broke the kiss.

"Thought you're going to get the last word on this little session?" Richard taunted with a mocking smile. "Maybe next time, darling. Now then, please go please yourself back from where you came from. I'm sure a certain activity would be nice to keep you busy until you find another person to give it to you."

"Eheheheh... You really are wild, Richard Liu..." Slan responded back, as her figure began to break apart. "No wonder you take after her, Yakumo... I'll be waiting for the next time..."

Then Slan split apart into a pile of rotting troll entrails, as Richard floated himself, before moving back onto ground.

"Dream on... Like I would want to have sex with a needy and abusive little bitch like you." Richard snorted, before he turned around, seeing that the trolls and ogres were melting away, as if made of snow, their fleshy liquid running along the floor below them, surprising him and Guts.

"Damn it... What the hell is happening now!?" Guts exclaimed.

"It's the aftermath of her forced advent and passing. The life and death of this domain boiled and changed into the pure chaos that the region is surrounded with." The skeletal knight answered back. "If left as it is, the cave will not hold... And the whole vicinity could be engulfed."

"We got another problem first!" Guts shouted, looking over where they came from, as the entrance was already blocked off. "The entrance's blocked in!"

"I have a way out of that, Guts. Don't worry about that." Richard assured Guts, as he wiped the rotten blood from his embrace with Slan earlier, from his lips. "However, Twilight Knight, how will you survive this? You came here by horse, but now your path is blocked, how will you leave?"

"Maybe it's a good time to test the sword." The skeletal knight responded back, before tilting his skull back, and raising his blade up. "Though this was only meant to be wielded to entomb them in that vortex."

He then clicked open his own bony jaws, before he then slowly slid the blade through it, as it glowed inside of his body. Guts was irritated seeing this, as he was about to question the skeletal knight, before Richard stopped him, shaking his head, gesturing for him to wait and see. After a while, the skeletal knight withdrew his blade, as it was covered by wilted vines, and countless faces of behelits, as their red flesh coated the entire blade.

"So... This is your true weapon..." Richard remarked.

"I refined within myself behelits taken from apostles to form this blade, the Sword of Actuation." The skeletal knight responded back. "It's time we parted ways once again, Struggler and Rebel. Know that the time will come for you to change the fate of someone you desired, Rebel, for it is imminent in the thread of casualty."

"I know. I'm prepared. If you're saying that... Then I suppose that you have no objections to what I will do?" Richard asked back.

"...No. Her fate was long sealed in this world. You are merely altering her fate from death to disappearance in this realm, all with the same consequences and effects." The skeletal knight responded back.

"...Heh. Thanks then." Richard smirked back, before he then opened a sukima. "This might be the last time we will meet again, Twilight Knight."

The two of them entered the sukima, while the skeletal knight cut down in thin air, as it tore a spatial rip in the space in front of him, before he vaulted inside of it.

* * *

_Outside of the troll den..._

The group were already safe, as the group had the entrance protected, with Reimu erecting a spiritual barrier to impede any trolls that tried to pursue them. Elma was doing her best to heal the female victims, as did Puck, while the rest of the group waited nervously for the two of their friends to return.

"...Schierke... Can you... Can you contact them?" Casca asked back.

"...I... I can't. Something is interfering with my connection with those two. I can feel that they're still alive, but I can't reach out to them..." Schierke responded back. "All we can do is hope that they're fine."

"I'm sure they are... Even if was Slan that was fighting them, they can still make it out here alive." Gus stated.

"I doubt that... The God Hand, they're powerful beings, who are immensely strong in spirit and magic. It would be a hard fight for them at least." Schierke frowned back.

"Doubt that it would be enough to do him in. I mean, I seen him go toe to toe with a super-weapon before, alone." Reimu scoffed. "Don't get your hopes down. He'll make it with our friend."

Suddenly, as if Reimu's words triggered, a sukima appeared around the group, as Richard popped out, holding Guts, as he was still pained from the damage done to his arms.

"Hey..." Richard smiled back, as the rest of the group turned back to him.

"Y-You're alive!" Farnese exclaimed. "But how did you..."

"Turns out that the so-called God Hand ain't so strong when she's forced to fight on our terms." Richard smirked back. "Don't worry, I serviced her so well, that she wants an encore eventually."

"But how did you-" Schierke asked, shocked, before Richard pressed a dirty finger to Schierke's lips.

"It's best that you don't ask about that." Richard quietly responded back. "Just say that I used one of my specialities against her to get an upper hand."

"Look!" A young child remarked, pointing at the area around them, as all of the chaotic mess reverted back to normal, turning the region in a normal patch of dark forest.

"The forest... Qliphoth has... shut off...?" Schierke asked back.

"Well, no surprise, considering that we beat its mistress." Richard responded back, before he then shaked Guts a bit. "Hey, you still up, Guts? You must be tired, cutting down all of those trolls by yourself? I'd say you cut about... more than a thousand of them in there?"

"Then I guess that makes me THOUSAND-beast slayer then." Guts responded back with some amusement in his voice.

"Guts... Richard... You are both impulsive idiots..." Casca growled, before she then walked over and hugged the both of them. "But I'm truly glad that you're both safe and sound."

"Urk, not so tightly... I'm injured...!" Richard groaned in pain, as the hug made his chest wound much more painful, as Casca quickly released him, seeing that his wound was bleeding again.

Elma noticed Richard's wound, before she then quickly went to heal it, as she managed to stop the bleeding and soothe it slightly, while Puck used some of his fairy dust to heal Richard's arm wounds as well.

"Heh, don't forget that we're the ones who started fighting in this mess of an world, Casca." Guts answered back. "I'm not done until every part of me has been whittled down to nothing."

"I guess that means that we have a safe journey, when we return to the village?" Link asked.

"Indeed. If this is everything that we should be wary about." Schierke nodded.

The group then left the forest, as the woman and children followed them closely, as they left the forest.

* * *

_In Enoch Village... _

When the captured women and children were returned to their village, there was many a tearful and joyous reunion, as parents embraced their once-lost children tightly, and wives rushed to their husbands' caring arms, sobbing and crying in relief that the nightmare was over for them.

"Well, I guess that this should be it for the troubles of this village, right?" Antonio asked the others.

"It is highly unlikely that they would be another troll attack on the village for a long time. Without a den, there is nowhere to reproduce them, and the stragglers would be quickly wiped out by the village militia.

"Come on, let's get out of here-" Richard was about to respond back, before he felt his chest wound throb in pain again, as he was forced to his knees, clutching it with his arm. "Urk...!"

"Richard...? Are you alright...? Did... Did something go wrong with my healing...? Is there poison in those wounds...?" Elma asked.

"No... It's not that... I... Well..." Richard groaned, before turning to Schierke. "Schierke, I think you would be better to explain that in place of me."

"These wounds are severe, and not just in the physical sense. His wound, physically, has been healed up, but in his ethereal body, or the spirit, as some of you call it... These wounds are very much present and untreated. If left alone, it will continue to bring pain to him, debilitating him greatly, and may even cause those wounds to reform on his physical body."

"So his spirit has been ripped open by that God Hand...?" Reimu asked. "As much as I know the spirit, I ain't proficient with fixing anything done to them, other than purifying them of corruption. Spiritual wounds is a whole another matter."

"...I'm... I'm sorry that I didn't manage to heal him properly." Elma responded back, disappointed in herself for not doing her job properly. "Richard... I only wanted to help."

"No, you have nothing to apologise for. You did help me in your own way. At least I'm not bleeding out over here, with you stopping the bleeding, and easing the pain of it for a brief moment." Richard answered back, before turning back to Schierke. "Is there anything that you and your mistress have, that can seal those wounds properly?"

"If we can get you to the mansion, we could take my mistress's elixir." Schierke suggested. "Everyone, please help him-"

"Don't let this think that I'm going to be down for the count." Richard interrupted, before he stood back up. "I've walked on worse wounds than this. You don't need to worry about me. A little pain won't stop someone who is used to it, like myself."

"Wait, then can we just teleport ourselves to the mansion then?" Antonio asked. "It would help to make things better for you-"

"I doubt that it's going to work again. I don't think that trying to warp with a festering wound to my spirit would be a good idea for me, especially when I have to teleport you all in one go to such a far place." Richard answered back. "A short teleport with few people is the most I can do without risking myself. But if it's to ensure that we can all get here-"

"No... It's best that you don't do that." Casca told Richard. "We'll be fine getting here on foot."

"So I see..." Richard answered back. "Then let's get going, or don't. We're not exactly in a real rush, so long as we don't waddle around aimlessly."

The group then continued along, as Schierke sensed something, a brief moment of feeling her mistress's emotions for a moment, as they were filled with acceptance.

"What is this feeling...?" Schierke muttered to herself, before she then felt Ivalera tap on her hat.

"Aren't you excited to get back and be praised by Flora? I bet the brute slaying little witch, Schierke, will become a new legend around here." Ivalera told her partner casually.

"Never... That would never... happen." Schierke denied with a slightly sad tone.

"Please be more proud of yourself. A girl managed to do everything you have done for the people. Surely miraculous skills, if I made my opinion on them." Serpico told her.

"But I am merely a novice... a apprentice-" Schierke tried to argue back.

"So? That makes it all the better? Seeing elves close and personal, watching a little miss like you use magic so easily and potently... I bet that our boy, Rickert, might be wowed by you." Judeau chuckled.

"Heh." Guts grunted with a smirk, hearing that, as Schierke turned away, slightly embarrassed for being complimented like that.

"I... I was moved, Ms Schierke... To see you do all of that, I am truly astonished." Farnese added.

Schierke only acknowledged those words, as she was thinking about the party itself, as she was confused about her opinion of the party.


	19. Chapter 18

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 18:The Berserker and the Dragon

* * *

_Near Flora's mansion..._

The group continued along, before Velouria then sensed something, as she then used her own animal-like senses to sniff around the vicinity, before her face scrunched up strongly.

"Someone was just here. No, a lot of people was here, to be more exact." Velouria responded back with a dangerous look in her eyes. "And I definitely know that they're not human, from the foul stench of blood wafting in the air. We definitely got someone coming towards the mansion, and they're intruders without any doubt."

Schierke was alerted by Velouria's words, as the rest of the group raised their guard, looking around, as they went through the forest more slowly, before she then stopped at one place, as she sensed around the od in the area. What she found, surprised her, in a unpleasant way.

"This flow of od... Deep in the forest, from the mansion...!" Schierke exclaimed. "And not only that... the forest's barrier is vanishing..."

At the same time, the Brands acted up, alerting the group to the presence of Apostles in the area, as Guts were hurting a lot more, without Flora's charm protecting him, as Slan destroyed it.

"Urgh... I can feel the Brand in pain!" Casca exclaimed. "Then that means...!"

"Farnese, Casca, Judeau, Isidro. Wait here." Guts stated, as he drew his blade.

"What gives?" Isidro asked, before he then noticed Casca's words. 'Wait, there are apostles in the forest now!?"

"Apostles...?" Serpico remarked, as he was oblivious to the concept of apostles.

"They're tbe demons that you're supposed to be hunting, were you Holy See." Richard answered back. "They're quite powerful, as the elite apostles are stronger than the ogre and kelpie in terms of overall strength. If everything is true, it points to one thing and one thing only: The apostles have launched a assault on Flora."

"Then she's in danger already!" Schierke answered back. "The barrier is the only way of defending her home from danger, other than the golems!"

"We'll have to make our way to the mansion quickly then." Link stated, before the group saw accursed spirits rise around them. "What the...!? Accursed spirits!?"

"They're blocking the path ahead!" Corrin exclaimed. "We need to take them out, before we can advance. Everyone, please lend a hand!"

Everyone rushed into battle, as they quickly swept the accursed spirits in the area up, before they were able to continue on ahead, and encountered a group of humanoid demons, clad in armour, as a reptilian apostle with a eel-like head, and a large poleaxe in its hands.

"What...!? B-Bastards! Where the hell did you all come from!?" The leader growled, before it then raised its poleaxe. "Either way, you won't get in our way! Prepare to die!"

"What... What are those...!?" Schierke blurted out with shock at the monsters before her.

"Apostles." Guts answered back. "But that's strange, I haven't seen this many apostles, acting like they're demon soldiers. What the hell is all of this, some apostle who can create minions to command?"

"I doubt that. I think it's a much more serious matter." Richard answered back. "Either way, we can't let this stop us. They're far weaker than the likes of the transformed ones, so we're okay as it is."

Link and Antonio attacked, while the other two conversed with each other, as they chopped up the demons with their blades, as the leader was shocked by their brutal assault, before it found itself smashed through the chest with a massive blade, courtesy of Guts, who charged into the fray to slay the enemy captain. It let out a weak choking gasp, before it slid off it, dead.

"It seems that the gates have been shut ahead of us..." Richard answered back, as he looked at the stone gates ahead of them. "Odd, Flora didn't exactly close them when we first made our way here, and I doubt the fact that there aren't apostles behind those gates. In fact, they might already be at the mansion already! So why... Why are they shut...?"

"Mistress often holds control over these stone gates..." Schierke answered. "If they're closed... Then the mistress is desperate to stop the enemy from going further, and gaining reinforcements... Only through sufficient earthen magic, or my magic signature, will these gates open for us to access it. We have to hurry...!"

"There's no telling the situation right now..." Gus muttered, worried about the situation currently. "We need to quickly think of a plan about all of this. If the mansion is under attack as expected, we need the quickest route ahead to the mansion, and pray that it is not being patrolled or attacked by the apostles, in case said path is a pathway to escape."

"Then we'll need to split up. I sense a bulk of apostles to the south of the mansion. If we can cleave through their forces quickly enough, it'll be sufficient enough for reinforcements to be called from the other sides, allowing the group heading to the mansion directly, to slip through undetected." Richard answered back, before he then turned to Schierke. "Judging by your words, the only ones who can manipulate the gates as it is, is either you or me. I'll lead the diversion group, while you head for the mansion. All that remains is deciding who will come with us. Whoever is with me, is going to be seeing a lot of combat."

"I'm coming." Guts answered back. "These bastards are going to regret attacking the old lady's mansion while we're here."

"We owe Mistress Flora a great debt for helping us this much, with these weapons and armour. We'll repay the favour by coming to her aid, regardless of what happens." Casca stated. "I will assist you, Richard."

"Well, if Guts and Casca are coming, I can't exactly say no, can I?" Judeau asked. "Richard, take me along as well."

"Right then, it's like the old times then, as the Band of the Hawk." Richard responded back, before turning to his friends. "We don't have time to ask individually. If you're coming, walk towards me. If you aren't, move to Schierke. Remember, we can't afford to split our manpower too much, as the mansion group will need some people to defend against the apostles ahead of them as well. Just because we're diverting the enemies attention, doesn't mean that the path will be without enemies."

Out of the rest of the group, only Link, Meiling, Velouria, Gunter and Antonio stepped up, as Corrin, Reimu, Gus, Elma, Virion decided to remain back and help Schierke, Isidro, Serpico and Farnese.

"It's decided then." Schierke stated, before her group made their way to the northern passage, where they found a stone gate blocking the way forward. With a chant, Schierke opened them, as the group moved through it, before she conveyed her thoughts to Richard and Guts. '_Both of you... Be careful..._'

'_Just get to the old lady's place as quickly as you can._' Guts thought back. '_We'll keep them busy._'

Richard then walked towards the stone gate, before he placed both hands on it, as he exerted a lot of his magical power to force the gates open, before the rest of the group passed through it, and he was able to close the gates.

"Remember, hit them loud and hard. They need to know that their flank is being torn apart." Richard advised everyone. "The more they fall, the more threatening we'll become to their forces."

"Got it." Velouria nodded back, before she then dashed through a squad of apostles, as her claws ripped them apart.

"What the... Some humans snuck in after us-" The squad leader said, before both of Velouria's claws converged around his head, tearing through it, and turning it into meaty chunks, as the headless body fell forward and slammed on the ground.

Meanwhile, Judeau was using his magic-powered knives, as he concentrated on the gnomes on his throwing weapons, as his daggers smashed through metal armour like paper, and pierced through his enemies at high speeds. And each time the daggers struck the ground, it ejected a series of metallic spikes that would pierce the enemy from underneath, skewering them, before the knife itself would pop back out of the ground, and fly back into his hand, as he caught each of them on their returning arc.

"These are fairly convenient to lay some traps with." Judeau remarked. "Guess there's much more to the astral world, than pixie dust nowadays, huh?"

Casca was using her blade well, as she was able to skillfully cut down apostle soldier after apostle soldier, before she met a apostle captain wielding a club in its hands. It tried to swing its club down at her, although she weaved out of the strike, and cut through the apostle's arms, as it tried to lift its club from the ground, severing them, as it screamed in pain and tried to tackle Casca. However, Casca drew back her blade, and thrust the apostle in the heart with her blade, killing it cleanly.

"I'm not the same helpless person that I was back in those years." Casca snarled at the dead apostle. "You won't take away neither me nor my companions while I still breathe and fight."

Richard then opened the next set of gates, as they continued along, cutting down the apostle forces along the way, before they were met by the sight of a large brutish captain with a grotesque face and a large war-axe. Almost quickly, Guts slammed his blade into the apostle's leg before it could swing its own axe, as it bellowed in pain, buckling on one side.

"Are you with the witch...!? That Hurtttt you knnnooowww!" The apostle growled, as it tried to cleave Guts's head open, only to eat a blade through his jaw, rendering it into a dying state, before Guts ended it with a single stab to the forehead.

"There's a lot of them. But then again, back in Doldrey, we faced greater numbers, and we managed to get through all fine." Guts stated.

"Yeah, if only the old times were still there." Judeau sighed.

"Enough reminiscing. We're almost there. Just a little more, and we'll make it to the mansion!" Richard shouted, as he opened the next set of stone gates, as they were in the final section of the southern passage to the mansion. There were a lot more apostles than before, but it was still no match for the rest of the group, as Link engaged the last apostle captain in the area.

"Do you think that a mere human can beat us, the War Demons?" The apostle captain roared back at Link.

"I've killed many of your kind, who claim to be far greater than that. You won't be much of a challenge." Link answered back, before he then slid under a horizontal strike by the apostle captain, before he then pulled out his grappling hook, and shot it right in the face of the apostle captain, as it screamed in pain, trying to remove the metal chain-point stuck inside of its face, before Link spun up, and sliced the apostle's head open with a diagonal slash, as the top piece slid off and hit the ground with a wet splatter.

"Alright, we're there. Opening the gates now!" Richard exclaimed, before he forced open the stone gates, as the mansion was within sight, as it was burning brightly, although the wooden building refused to burn down at all, as it remained in the same shape as it was. And around it was a barrier, which seemed to repel the apostles from getting near it. The more concerning fact, was that the golems were activated to fend off the apostles, although the apostles were far more brutal than the golems, as the smaller golems were being wiped out, and the larger ones were in danger.

"These guys... They're trying to protect that old lady with all they got..." Guts remarked about the golems, as they were reducing in numbers, as their control dolls were being destroyed by the brutal attacks of their opponents.

"Wait... I sense something within those golems..." Richard remarked. "They're... They're using themselves as conduits to maintain the mansion's barrier... But why fight then... Don't they know that if they fall... So will the barrier...? Unless... the golems are too desperate in their protection to have any self-preservation."

"Then what do we do then...? If what you said is true-" Casca responded back.

"Protect the larger golems, the ones keeping this barrier up! If these fall, they'll most definitely swarm the mansion in numbers too great to hold back!" Richard shouted to everyone. "I'll head to the mansion and get Flora out of here!"

"Wait, don't go!" Guts shouted to him, although Richard was already running, as he was cutting through the enemy lines to get ahead. "Damn it... Is he seriously trying to..."

"I don't know what Richard is trying to do, but we can't stand around without his leadership. If you need someone to lead, I'll do it in his place." Gus answered back. "Richard would trust me with that, and he most definitely needs me to do that. Everyone, what he said, we should abide by it. Support the golems!"

Richard was close enough to the mansion, as he looked around, while scanning the surroundings of the mansion with his magic sensors.

'_Come on... Come on...! Where are you...!?_' Richard thought frantically, as his magic sensors weren't feeling anything, before they found something. '_Found you...! Now then, time to have the real talk with her... Everyone... Hope you can handle yourselves. Someone will need to handle Grunbeld when he gets there, after Guts get his ass handed to him enough to force him to use the Berserker Armour here..._'

Richard then disappeared through a sukima, just in time for the northern team to arrive at the mansion, as Schierke was horrified to see the mansion on fire.

"The mansion is on fire... Mistress...! Mistress...!" Schierke cried out in horror.

"We'll need to get inside to find her..." Farnese stated. "She could be anywhere around here..."

"Are you crazy!? With these flames burning around the place!?" Isidro yelled with outrage.

"I can handle that." Corrin answered back, before she then partially transformed her head and right arm, before she fired water ball after water ball from the transformed arm, as it hit the flames and doused them slightly. "**Now go...! Get moving! I'll weaken the flames as much as I can!**"

"Alright, we'll remain behind and help mop up the rest of the apostles around here." Reimu stated. "We'll leave you all to get inside. Hurry, because I don't think that this trip will remain two-way if you don't be fast about it!"

"Thank you..." Serpico stated, before he, Farnese, Isidro, Schierke and Corrin entered the flaming building through the front doors.

The group were dealing with the enemy reinforcements, as they honed for the golems, although the group did their best to deter their efforts as much as possible.

"There's no end to these bastards...! How long do we have to hold out for, before their leaders come!?" Velouria roared. "I'll tear them apart, so that the enemy will lose momentum on this relentless assault!"

"There's no telling how long we must hold out for... All we can do is hope and pray that Richard can help Flora... And that the situation doesn't become worse."

"Uh, problem, guys..." Judeau informed the group, as he saw that one of the stone gates was broken through by a large bulky apostle. "We got more incoming through a whole new direction!"

"Curse it all..." Link cursed to himself, as he used his shield to block a blow from a large apostle, before countering with a spinning slash that cut open the apostle, leaving to die in a pool of its own tainted blood.

As the group fought on, Gus soon caught eye of the skeletal knight warping in, as he cut down the apostles lying on one path towards the mansion.

"Who the hell are you!? How can one horseman do so much against us!?" A apostle captain shouted at the skeletal knight.

"The... The Twilight Knight...?" Gus muttered.

"I have no name to give to mere Apostles. I'll say that I am the one who opposes the five Angels." The skeletal knight responded back, continuing his apostle slaughter.

"Yeah, I remember now, you were at our master's reincarnation! The knight who appeared during the Eclipse!" Another apostle captain remarked, before turning to face Gus. "You! I know you too! Our master's sacrifice! You're one of the survivors, but why don't you have the Brand on you...!? It's impossible!"

"We protect ourselves." Gus responded back. "And we won't let you have us like that. I won't let you go after everything you have done. I may not be one to hold vengeance and grudges, but I will not forgive any of you!"

He then charged at the apostles, as he cast various fire spells that incinerated the crowd of apostles, as he even used the fire surrounding the forest to utilise his own attacks, before he used a eruption of fire to incinerate the apostle captain that mentioned him.

"Why are you here...?" Guts asked the skeletal knight, as he was back-to-back with the skeletal knight, thanks to the enemies surrounding him.

"Because I have close ties with the head of this mansion." The skeletal knight responded back.

"So that's why... At the troll's den..." Guts answered back. "Guess we owe you one for saving us back there."

"Perhaps. But for now, focus your efforts on surviving. A dire opponent will come soon." The skeletal knight warned Guts.

"A dire opponent...?" Guts asked, before he then charged back at the enemy, cutting them through with his blade.

* * *

_Inside the mansion..._

Flora was sitting by the table, in the same large room that she was in before, as she looked out of the window, as the flames engulfed the entire room, although she didn't seemed to be close enough to them, to be harmed at all. She smiled sadly, placing her empty tea-cup down.

"I wish I could at least... seen your bashful smile once more with your own eyes." Flora muttered sadly to herself.

She then noticed space being ripped apart near her, as she turned around, and saw a sukima appear in the middle of the room, as Richard came in, clutching his chest, as the wound reopened, like Schierke had predicted, as he hobbled towards Flora, with the bloody wound in front.

"Hey..." He wheezed slightly, with a faint smile. "I guess that you were ready to await your end, weren't you, Flora...?"

"You seem terribly wounded... And I can sense that the wound was done to your astral body as well." Flora responded back calmly. "Did you face someone who managed to harm your astral body."

"Not just anybody... I and Guts faced down Slan of the God Hand. The Twilight Knight managed to help us out, and distracted her long enough for me to blow away her physical manifestation with a powerful spell. Of course, she tore me up quite well before that." Richard answered back, limping closer. "I'm sure that she'll be careful not to try anything against us for a while."

"Even when you are severely wounded like this... You would use your own magic so brazenly." Flora frowned. "You are quite foolhardy and reckless."

"I was born like that, and my life up to now only reinforced that." Richard answered back, before he winced slightly in pain. "But you know why I'm here. Well, actually, I'm here for two reasons, but one of them is more important than the other.

"I suppose that the first question, is whether I possess the means to heal that astral wound of yours." Flora nodded, before she pointed to a small cabinet, which was licked by the flames. "The elixir is in there. You must take it, before your wounds get worse."

Richard silently complied, as he wrenched open the wooden cabinet, before finding that there was several isolated bottles of greenish liquid, as the only type of item inside of it. After taking one of them, he popped the cork off, and drank it quickly, as the fairly warm liquid ran down his throat, with a fairly grassy taste to it, making his expression twist slightly. However, he could feel the secondary pain to his wound fade away slowly, although his physical would was still there. He decided to do something about that quickly, as he summoned a palm-sized flame on his right palm, before he then slammed said flame into his wound, as it spread out along the length of it, cauterising it painfully. Richard could barely restrain his cries of pain into a silent expression, convulsing with agony, before he then fell down on his knees, as the wound was completely cauterised, and he was left panting and sweating.

"...There... It's all done." Richard panted back, before coughing a few times. "Now I don't have to worry about letting this wound fester any more."

"...And now is the time to talk about the second matter at hand...?" Flora asked back, before there was a moment of silence between them, the crackling of the flames the only sound in the room at the time.

"...Like I told you before, this is your choice." Richard answered back. "I know that it is against your natural creed to escape this kind of fate, to die in the flames of your own home, but you could do so much more, and it wouldn't be wrong. I have become immortal for the sake of my own duty, and I regret nothing about, not even the countless deaths I had to face, each as painful as what you would expect from each untimely demise the death was linked to. Living longer than human longevity is not a sin, Flora. There are creatures who live longer than us, and they bemoan their long lives. So why should we be humble about our own lifespans? Some people deserve to live longer for their deeds, and I believe that you are such a person."

"...Even so." Flora answered back. "Are you willing to acknowledge that all of this is a result of your selfish desire towards me...?"

"...You are not wrong. In fact,you are entirely correct. If we were to compare Griffith nowadays, to me right now... There is little difference between him and me." Richard answered back with a solemn tone. "I am being selfish, Flora, and I'm sorry that you would have to be used like that by me. Escaping a reasonably peaceful fate, just so that you could be forced to fight against the evil longer, and act as a mentor for someone who I hold great affection towards. It's not wrong to say that I do this out of my own gain, but I cannot let you die, because I believe that you don't deserve it, and that you could be so much more. You said that humans are capable of much, much more. I am one such example, long ago. So why couldn't you be another example of that, to prove that you can be greater than even the God Hand?"

"You are honest with those words, and you drive a compelling argument. I wonder if your mentor taught you those wits." Flora remarked, before she stood up. "I have considered your choices,and your words, Richard. If it is time to that I am to leave this world... Then if you would be so kind to take a woman in her twilight years in age and power... Then I would gratefully accept your offer. I will teach your friend the magic that she has never mastered before, through my teachings. But I also come for another reason."

"And what would that reason be...?" Richard asked back.

"...To fix you. Fix your broken soul." Flora answered back. "You can maintain a facade of your astral body, in order to make it look typical and standard, but in truth, it is far more broken and twisted than what others might see it as, on the surface level. I may not be able to complete my task, but I can at least filter your sorrows and negativity out of your soul, mend parts of it slowly, so that you would no longer have to deal with the dulling ache inside of your heart, that torments your mind and spirit so deeply."

"Flora..." Richard muttered back, as he was touched by those words, seeing that Flora actually had a reason to come to him by her own volition, and that the reason was to help himself on the most harmed aspect of himself. "Thank you... I... If you could do that for me... Then my debt to you... Would be eternal."

"I can only repay your gratitude by doing this." Flora answered back humbly, before she then felt something. "Dear Schierke is here... She must be trying to save me."

"Let her... I won't interfere with your parting moments." Richard answered back. "I will allow you as much time as you need to do what you must here."

"Thank you then, Richard." Flora stated, as she lied back on her chair.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mansion, Schierke was rushing through the burning room, crying out for her mistress, as Isidro had to pull her back from roaring flames.

"What the hell are you doing, trying to kill yourself like that!?" Isidro growled. "Use your damn magic! Corrin's stuff ain't doing enough to bring down the flames!"

"B-But... mistress...!" Schierke cried, as tears leaked from her eyes. "I... I'm upset... And I can't cast well like this..."

"Schierke..." Ivalera said.

"Damn... That means no magic to douse the flames." Isidro cursed, before turning to Serpico. "Hey, Serpico! Won't you use that feather-duster to deal with the fire!?"

"I cannot! It would only fan the flames higher!" Serpico argued back.

'_Mistress... Where are you...!?_' Schierke thought, as her flowing emotions were disrupting her magical senses, as more tears leaked from her eyes.

'_Schierke... Listen carefully._' Flora telepathically told the apprentice, as she stopped crying, trying to focus on her words. '_Get that... to the Black Swordsman._'

Schierke then felt the image of a black set of armour in her mind, as it looked like a black version of a knight's heavy armour, although the helmet was shaped like a skull, with a spiked collar.

'_Y__ou don't mean...! What in the world happened!? Why such a...! Such a dark armour!?_' Schierke thought back to Flora with fear in her mental voice.

'_A powerful enemy bears down. At this rate, the swordsman... There is no time._' Flora responded back.

'_Enemy...!? What enemy!? But at this rate, you, mistress will...!_' Schierke thought back frantically.

'_You should know full well. That time has come._' Flora stated firmly in response.

'_But... But not... not like this... It is too cruel..._' Schierke remarked, as her tears began to flow again. '_You must go in peace... Not engulfed in flames like this..._'

_'At this very least, this is my_ due.' Flora replied back. '_You, as a sorceress, should know how sinful it is to live beyond the extent of your allowed time. There is nothing to mourn, you know that for we magi, death is not the end, but a change in the form of life._'

"But...!" Schierke cried, as her voice was shaking with sorrow, as she spoke her own words out. "But... I will still be lonely. I... In a sunspot... Afternoon tea with the golems. It's all going to be gone. It's going to burn!"

"Schierke..." Flora muttered in her own mouth, before continuing her mental conversation.'_Then would it soothe you to know that Richard is with me at this very moment...?_'

Schierke was greatly shocked hearing that, as Flora continued. '_You are aware of what he will do with me... He will leave me to die, but he will force me to leave this realm, as my time here has ended. Perhaps, when the fates change, or in another place, we will meet again, my dear Schierke... But for now, this is where we will part._'

'_M__istress... I understand. I'll do what you ask of me... Just please... Please promise you'll return, mistress... I..._' Schierke exclaimed in her mind. "I...!"

She then rushed towards one of the stairwells, as Isidro chased after her.

"Hey! What are you going to do!? At this rate...!" Isidro exclaimed.

"We head for the treasure chamber! Something is there we must give to Guts!" Schierke answered back, before thinking to herself. '_Whether or not that man is a part of my fate... I do not know. But now, the only one who can rescue him, if the mistress is right, is me, the magus. I am the one disciple of Flora, of the forest of the Spirit Tree._'

* * *

_Outside the mansion..._

Gus, Guts and the others were fighting quite well against the apostles, as they seemed to holding the ground well, as the number of larger golems remained steady for the time being. However, that changed when Guts's and Casca's Brands flared up again, as they began to leak blood.

"Look like some strong ones are coming our way..." Guts growled, turning to the direction of the dark feeling, before seeing a familiar shape. "What...!?"

He then saw Zodd come towards them, as he sliced and swatted away golems in his way easily. The brutish apostle then noticed Guts, as he smiled wildly.

"Who ever thought I'd run into you two in a place like this?" Zodd smirked. "Guess we're connected after all."

"Zodd...!" Guts snarled. "Why are you here!? Don't tell me your 'master' is-!?"

"That's obvious. Only one in this world's determined to be master of the inhumans." Zodd smirked back.

"Zodd." Another voice sounded, as a giant man clad in silver knight armour with a helmet fashioned like a dragon's head, the jaws of which reveal his face, which had sharp pointed teeth inside of his mouth, and red and slitted reptilian eyes, approached the both of them, wielding a large refined greathammer in one hand, and a almond-shaped shield the size of a regular man, with a demonic face on one end of it, a cannon in its jaws, as well as the entire length of the shield placed in a scaled pattern. "I, Grunbeld, wish to be the one who fights him."

'_A giant...!?_' Guts thought, seeing Grunbeld's massive physique.

"Grunbeld...?" Zodd remarked, before he then snorted. "Fine then."

"Thank you." Grunbeld thanked back, before he then stepped forward. "I've heard rumour of you. The Black Swordsman who goes hunting around for apostles. The bold man who, though human, unlike most of his companions, survived that Eclipse. Even if she is a witch, attacking an old woman secluded in a remote forest with such numbers is far from honourable for a warrior. That said, I forced myself to look upon this duty as a chance to display my loyalty to the Hawk..."

'_What!? This was on Griffith's orders!? But why the old lady, she doesn't look like she could do anything with how old she was..._' Guts thought.

"But coming face to face with a warrior like you, means every heavy stride has worthwhile." Grunbeld continued, before raising his weapons. "I, Grunbeld, as a warrior of the Band of the Hawk, call upon the Black Swordsman in single combat."

As if something snapped in Guts, he froze, as a deep sense of uncontrollable rage welled up in him.

'_What..? What did he just...!? The Band...!? The Band of the HAWK!?_' Guts fumed, as his teeth grit so hard, he could make diamonds out of them.

"En garde-" Grunbeld was about to say, before he quickly moved his shield, to block a furious blow from Guts, as the shield blocked the attack.

"How dare you say that...?" Guts snarled, hatred burning in his eyes. "All of you. How DARE you... say the 'Band of the Hawk'!? You spit at the very name of the band by pretending to be them! You have no idea what the name means, you wretched bastard!"

Casca and Judeau noticed that Guts was incensed, as they saw Guts tear into Grunbeld with his blade rapidly, although his strikes were being parried away by Grunbeld's shield, that managed to block most of the blows, before he then raised his great-hammer and brought it down with a growl, as Guts was forced to block with his blade, although doing so, caused him to tumble backwards from the force of the attack, rolling across the grass, before coming to an stop, as he coughed roughly the blow knocking some of the wind out of him.

'_Fuck... What a blow...! It's like I've been hit by a battering ram at full force... Even though he's still in human form... He's stronger than a typical apostle, even transformed...!_' Guts thought, as he stood back up, as he tried to charge back to Grunbeld, going for a over-arcing slice.

However, Grunbeld noticed the heavy attack,as he tilted his shield up, and blocked the attack, although it did make him feel some force against it, as the apostle let out a amused 'Oho?', before then shield-bashed Guts hard, knocking him to the floor again, as Grunbeld then swung his great-hammer down again, to drive it through Guts's body. However, Guts managed to block the hammer with his weapon again, although it smashed the blade against his chest, crushing it and breaking a few ribs, as he groaned and coughed up blood, before he then rolled away from the apostle, getting back onto his feet, clutching his bloody mouth with one of his hands.

"That's some sword, to take two strikes from my war-hammer without breaking." Grunbeld remarked, seeing that the blade Guts was wielded, didn't even show any sign of damage from the extremely hard blows from the greathammer. "But what of your fight!? There's been nothing remarkable save your one blow there! You're just being knocked about without offering any resistance!"

'_That's damn easy for you to say, lizard... Man, that last one cracked some ribs..._' Guts scowled to himself. '_With this armour alone__, I'm going to be a goner, if someone doesn't step up to take this monster themselves...! But I can't rely on anyone yet.. I need to find a way to bring this bastard down!_'

The skeletal knight was already occupied in his own fight with Zodd, as the apostle already transformed into his bovine form, as they traded blows with each other.

"You going to chase a woman in the middle of battle? That's rather unlike you." The skeletal knight remarking, parrying Zodd's blows with his blade. "Fighting was everything to you, wasn't it, Immortal?"

"Don't misunderstand. I'm the only one who can hold you off. It's that and that alone." Zodd grinned back.

"So this time, we both have different reasons than usual." The skeletal knight responded back.

Guts was still fighting against Grunbeld, as he managed to get a few strong blows on the shield, although it still didn't break or bend at all. Grunbeld merely scoffed, before he then knocked Guts to the ground with an overhead-swing, laying him prone, before stomping down on Guts, as the black-haired warrior used his blade to block it, although it smacked against his chest, cracking a few more ribs, and causing him to spit out more blood.

"This lacks." Grunbeld spoke with an unamused tone. "Are you really the Black Swordsman who defeated so many apostles!? Who crossed swords on an equal level with Nosferatu Zodd? Our arch-enemy? A weakling like you...? ANSWER ME!"

He then brought his foot down on Guts again, as Guts cried in pain, wheezing with blood in his throat. Grunbeld then looked towards where Zodd and the skeletal knight were fighting, as he was watching the fight intently.

"Zodd is fortunate to come across such a strong foe. The battlefield ought to be a sacred place to a warrior. To meet death in battle is one's long-cherished aspiration." Grunbeld spoke, before turning to Guts with a disapproving tone in his voice. "But... It seems that the pride of a warrior is not fitting for you."

"No point in monsters pretending to be warriors now... You narcissistic bastard!" Guts growled back in defiance.

Grunbeld didn't say anything, as he kicked Guts across the ground. "As a warrior, you aren't worth death by my war-hammer." Grunbeld growled, before he then levelled his shield at Guts, with the cannon inside of it pointed at Guts, who was trying to get up. "Fall to pieces... and litter the ground."

He then twirled his great-hammer around, before he then fired the shield's cannon, as the explosive round rushed towards Guts, as he tried to dodge the attack.

However, the attack was intercepted by a pillar of flame, setting it off prematurely, as Gus rushed into battle, wielding his great-sword.

"Guts! Are you alright!?" Gus stated. "Sorry I got here late. The apostles are pushing the lines, with you and Richard occupied... We're holding the line well, but we don't know how long we can take."

"Just in time then..." Guts growled, before he glared at Grunbeld. "This bastard is tough... Not even my strikes can get to him."

"Oh, a wielder of fire...?" Grunbeld remarked, as Gus readied himself. "I suppose that you will aid the Black Swordsman?"

"I have no choice on the matter. He is our companion. When he is in danger, we will always come to his aid." Gus spoke back, determined. "I know that I cannot defeat you, but I can at least stall you long enough for Guts to get back to where the rest of the group is."

"I see... So you fight to protect him. How noble... I'll respect your wish, and fight you instead, bearer of flames." Grunbeld stated, readying his greathammer to fight. "Hope that you will be able to survive or evade my blows then."

"Oi, you can't fight this bastard alone! He'll crush you!" Guts argued back at Gus.

"You look like that you're too hurt to fight any longer." Gus answered back. "You need to get to Elma to heal those wounds of yours, so that she can ensure that you can still fight on."

"...Tch." Guts clicked his tongue, before he then moved away from the battle, ignoring the pain he was feeling. "Don't die."

Gus then readied his blade, as it ignited. "I don't plan to." He spoke back confidently.

Grunbeld and Gus traded blows, as Gus evaded the blows coming from Grunbeld, as they were far too strong to simply parry. and he tried to cleave through Grunbeld's armour and shield, although it only managed to dent the armour, and leave marks on the shield, even with how much more powerful Gus's blade was, compared to Guts's own.

"You fight well, with your blade alone." Grunbeld remarked, blocking another strike from Gus, before then going for a shield-bash that Gus managed to dodge by stepping back quickly. "But you will not be able to keep this up forever. You are visibly fatigued fighting my men."

"Even so..." Gus stated, before he then jumped and smashed his sword down on Grunbeld's shield. "I can't give up!"

Guts continued to run, before he then felt Schierke tapping into his mind.

'_Guts...? Guts...!?_' Schierke told him. '_Can you hear me?_'

'_Schierke!? You okay!? What about the old lady!?_' Gut exclaimed in his head.

'_You need to go to where I'll show you! We need you to move there!' _Schierke responded back, as he showed Guts an image of the descending entrance of the treasure chamber of the mansion.

'_Go inside there...!? What the hell's...!?_' Guts thought, before the image of the dark armour entered his mind, as he realised what Schierke was trying to tell him. '_You don't say..._'

He then rushed towards the small entrance, before he then pushed the wooden gate open, then looking back at Gus, who was still fighting Grunbeld off. After seeing that Gus was still not cornered yet, he slipped through the entrance, as he tumbled down the roots, before he then fell back-first into the ground, in front of Schierke and her group.

"Guts!?" Isidro exclaimed. "Did you just... call him here!? H-Hey! Is he still alive!?"

"Stop shouting, you damn brat..." Guts groaned back, cracking an eye open. "I'm all banged up, witch. If you want to get that armour of yours on me, do it quick. Gus is fighting that damn lizard on his own. I can still move as I am."

"Schierke... Will this armour... Will it help him?" Corrin asked, as she kept a watch on the door in front of them.

"It can." Schierke responded back, although her words were filled with doubt, when she spoke them, as Guts slowly got up, and reached for the armour.

'_Oi, if you're all still in there, you might want to haul ass! There are apostles rushing into the mansion!_' Reimu shouted telepathically to Schierke's group, as Guts didn't hear it. The witch was even more flustered, as she didn't know what to say at these moments.

Guts was already strapping down his own armour, although his body hurt from the beating that Grunbeld gave him before. After he was done taking his armour off, he was already getting the dark set of armour onto himself slowly, as he got the greaves and boots on already, before the group heard loud thumping noises behind the doors to the treasure chamber, as they were then being broken from the other side, as a part of the door gave way, to show a large transformed apostle, with a vertically-slitted mouth.

"Wiiidjh! Is da widjh heeeereee!?" The apostle slurred its response, before Corrin reacted, and stabbed it through the head with a spiked arm, as it slumped down.

"Guts... I'll keep you safe! Just focus on getting the armour on!" Corrin shouted.

"Don't need to tell me twice!" Guts shouted back, as he just finished adjusting his breast-plate onto his chest, as he winced when tightening it around his chest, which was still heavily injured and in pain from the previous fight. He then raised the skeletal helmet, before slowly putting it on. "Alright, I'm done. Let me get back into the fray."

"Wait, you can't fight injured like this!" Isidro exclaimed. "What good is the damn armour when you're all busted up, you idiot!?"

"Not a problem now. If I need to get something healed, I'd go for Elma." Guts growled back, before he then burst through the door, as he ascended through the staircase, trudging through the burning mansion.

Meanwhile, back with Gus and Grunbeld, the former was being launched by the giant apostle, as a strike managed to land on his smaller figure, the sword that he was using, managed to protect his body from being hit fully by the hammer, although it sent him flying like a golf ball, right into the side of the mansion, as he barely managed to twist the flames away from himself, before he hit the building surface. However, it did nothing to reduce the impact of the attack, as he was left heavily dazed, sliding down onto the ground, to which he then crumpled on the ground.

"You have fought well, to have evaded my blows for so long, and managing to survive a strike from my war-hammer." Grunbeld stated, before he then loaded his shield-cannon again. "However, I cannot afford to show you mercy on the battlefield. I will defeat you first, and then I will pursue the Black Swordsman that has gone into hiding."

Grunbeld was about to fire, as Gus slowly pushed himself up, unable to move for the moment.

"Crap... I hope that we'll get our support...!" Gus coughed, as it was a dry one, fortunately for himself.

Before Grunbeld could fire on his vulnerable enemy, his cannon was knocked aside by Judeau, who threw a series of throwing knives, that batted the shield away, as the force of the throws were enough to shift the shield slightly, as the apostle turned to face Judeau.

"Say, I don't think that you've remembered what he said." Judeau remarked. "We ain't alone here. If you want to take any of us out, you'll need to get through us all!"

"Grrraaagggh...!" Grunbeld growled, as he readied his cannon again, pointing it at Judeau. "Annoyances everywhere! You will not deter me!"

Suddenly, there was the sound of wood being cleaved apart, as it caused Grunbeld to turn his attention to the source, as Guts came out, wielding his new suit of armour. Judeau turned as well, as he was shocked to see Guts wearing new armour.

"...Guts...?" Judeau remarked, before the others turned to him as well, after dealing with the apostles near them.

"What is that...? This armour... It feels... so wrong..." Casca stated.

Isidro, Casca, Farnese, Serpico and Corrin followed after Guts, as the black-clad swordsman was already advancing towards Grunbeld, with his blade out, ready for another round. Several transformed apostles tried to take him out, although Guts cleaved through them effortlessly, as if the armour made him exceptionally stronger. Seeing the larger apostles being torn apart so easily by his comrade, Isidro was shocked.

"S-Strong doesn't even cover it!" Isidro exclaimed, with awe in his voice, before turning to Schierke. "What's going on!? A minute ago, Guts was looking like he's been hobbled over! You should have said something! If you had such an incredible item, you should have handed it over for the troll slaying!"

"That... is not so simple an item as that." Schierke ominously responded back, with a concerned expression on her face.

"Is that the Black Swordsman? He moves like someone else entirely. No... That sword's definitely..." Grunbeld commented, seeing Guts approach him slowly.

"That's..." Zodd remarked with wide eyes, stopping his fight with the skeletal knight to see Guts as he was now. "Ah, the memories... My dear old rival. So you would have him follow you... down that same path into hell?"

The skeletal knight didn't respond back, as he continued to attacked the bovine apostle, forcing him to continue the fight.

As he walked on, Guts was occupied with something else, as a strange feeling washed over his entire body.

'_What's happening... with this armour...? The moment I donned it.. The pain of my wounds vanished like it was an illusion._' Guts thought. '_No, it simply didn't bother me. Pain just doesn't matter anymore... Whatever this is doing... But more important than that... is what's boiling in my body, an impulse...Something inside me... Something ferocious is seething... I... see..._'

Suddenly, Guts's mind was assaulted by images of the dark-furred wolf that was his inner desires and hatred, red lightning-like eyes, glowing brightly, as it swayed.

'_This... This...!_' Guts exclaimed in his mind.

'_**Yield to me... Yield to me...**_** everything...!**' The wolf spoke in a gruffer and deeper tone of his own voice, before it then let out a ear-shattering roar.

In the physical world, Reimu noticed something was wrong, as she turned to the direction of the unsettling feeling, seeing that Guts was howling himself, his head cocked back towards the skies. She watched with shock, as the helmet of the armour began to twist and turn, before it then fashioned itself into a metallic wolf's head, with the same eyes of Guts's inner representation of darkness.

"The hell...!? Something is off with him!? He's... He's being filled with darkness... Could it be... that he's going to be experiencing the same dark rage that Richard felt long before he did...!?" Reimu exclaimed. "No... It's less of a dark desire, and more of an uncontrollable rage... A state of rampant destruction and carnage... A berserk state..."

Guts then hunched down, as if he was becoming more feral, before he howled again, and charged at Grunbeld at inhuman speeds.

"Interesting! So that's your true power!" Grunbeld remarked, intrigued by Guts's transformation. "And it will mean your crushed corpse!"

Guts then leapt into the air, as he then twisted himself to kick the shield with both of his legs, while Grunbeld felt the entire force of the attack, as Guts was firmly planted on his shield, while the apostle was being pushed back suddenly. Guts then leapt off the shield, as Grunbeld quickly recovered, before Guts landed.

"He thrust back my huge frame...!?" Grunbeld blurted out, before Guts then twirled into the air, before then smashing his blade down hard, as Grunbeld felt the force of the attack through his own arm, as it was much more powerful than what Guts was capable of earlier. "What strength...! Are these the blows of that same man...!?

Suddenly, Guts leapt up back into the air, before then coming down hard, as it managed to break off a part of the shield, that turned out to actually be very durable wood, with some of the scales breaking off, unnerving Grunbeld.

"He broke my shield that repels even cannon fire...!?" Grunbeld exclaimed, before he then readied his shield, and pointed the cannon inside of it, at Guts. "No one with that armour and huge sword.. no, no human can move like that...!"

Guts growled, before he then raised his left arm, the prosthetic, as the cannon inside of it popped out, before he fired his weapon, just before Grunbeld could light the fuse to fire his own, as it struck the shield with great force, breaking more of it, and causing it to burn. Grunbeld let out a surprised cry, as he discarded his burning weapon, before it could burn through his own armour.

"A cannon in the false arm..." Grunbeld stated.

"He's usually strong as a monster. But that's an entirely another league there..." Isidro exclaimed. "Why didn't I get to see him use that cannon of his, even once...!?"

"It will be dangerous, if he continues to fight like that any further." Schierke responded back, as Isidro turned to her, along with Farnese, Serpico and Corrin. "It's not that Guts's wounds were healed by placing that armour on him. He just feels no pain from them. That is a magic fetish as well, the Berserker Armour, made by dwarves."

"Berserker... Armour...?" Serpico worded out.

"He who dons that armour and aligns with the ominous flow of od dwelling therein, truly becomes a savage." Schierke continued. "He is driven by such violent emotions, that he forgets about things like pain and fear. Humans have unconsciously established bounds to their strength so they do not harm their own bodies. Pain is a warning to keep us from destroying ourselves. A human without it... realises unbelievable strength, reflexes and perception. He surpasses the limits of the human body, at the risk of his own life."

As if to reinforce her point, Reimu, as the only one close enough to notice the detail, saw that there was blood dripping from the folds in Guts's armour, as if something was broken inside of them. She was concerned, but considered it fortunate, that Elma didn't notice this, and tried to heal him in a reckless effort, as the demoness was busy supporting the others, too occupied to notice the other matters, with how everything was proceeding. Guts also let out a quiet growl, as he trembled where he stood.

"Well done, Black Swordsman!" Grunbeld remarked, impressed at Guts's sudden spike in strength, as there was a fanged smile on his lips, before he raised his great-hammer. "Now taste the power of my strike!"

Grunbeld swung his great-hammer towards Guts, only to find his attack was intercepted by Guts, who reacted so quickly, that the berserk warrior's blade flashed down onto his swinging weapon, knocking it down into the ground. Grunbeld then saw that the blade bent the pole of the great-hammer into the ground, as Guts then followed up with a flipping slash, that cut through the horns on one side of his helmet, and right into his shoulder, before the large apostle could react.

"Argh!" Grunbeld cried, as blood spurted from his large wound, as Isidro let out a cheerful 'Yeah!', seeing the apostle take such a severe blow from the transformed Guts, although Guts himself was spurting blood of his own, through the arms wielding the blade, as if the muscles inside of them were burst apart by that one swing. "Magnificent. You are the victor! The rumours lied not! No, you're a superb warrior, and you exceed them when you are forced to a corner! But my mission lies ahead... For my master..."

Grunbeld then began to burst in flames, as Guts instinctively retreated, while the flames engulfed the giant apostle's figure, and spread out greatly, before the fire was dissipated, as the apostle had transformed himself, turning into a great four-legged fire dragon covered with stalactites made of reddish crystal, his face being shielded by a layer of the crystal, on top of the dragon's head, as its scales were onyx, and its claws were armoured as well. "I shall finish you!" The now-transformed apostle finished his declaration.

"D-D-Dra... Dragon!" Isidro stuttered in fear, seeing the towering dragon right in the middle of the field, as everyone was shocked as well.

Meiling noticed the transformation, as she grit her teeth, knowing that in this kind of world, dragons were highly dangerous. She hoped that Guts would be able to finish the fight, because she might have to step up and go toe-to-toe with the massive dragon apostle, as no-one was strong enough to be capable of fighting against the grizzled fire dragon. Not even Corrin herself, whose dragon form was more focused on magic, than actual strength.

"I shall use the power granted to me as an apostle... And lay low the Black Swordsman!" Grunbeld growled, before he then swung his tail around like a flail, towards Guts, as Guts managed to catch with, with another spray of blood from his own body, as Guts managed to stop the tail in its tracks, once again stunning the apostle. "Im... Impossible...! He stopped it...!? An apostle's attack!? A human!? I won't have it!"

He then lunged forward, as Guts raised his blade, and thrust it right at Grunbeld's smaller face, trying to strike through the head of the apostle, although his attack did go wide, and struck a little to the side, as Guts was launched back into the mansion, tumbling across the ground, and hitting the building at speeds fast enough to kick up a lot of dust. Grunbeld himself, however, noticed that where Guts struck him, there was a large glowing crack, as it concerned him.

"My skin of corundum, stronger than steel, has been cracked!? It's not possible, with a blade of metal like that!" Grunbeld yelled.

Guts then slowly got up, as Schierke's group watched, as they saw that he was in fairly bad shape, as a arm and leg were twisted backwards, forcing the berserk warrior to limp. However, the arm and leg suddenly righted itself, as if it was being twisted back to position by an unknown force, which appalled the group.

"What manner of armour is this... To fix such grievous disabilities so savagely...!?" Corrin exclaimed with horror, hearing the squelching sounds of flesh twisting while the armour fixed Guts's limbs back up.

"It is the armour's power." Schierke explained. "The armour is reinforcing his broken limbs, by piercing through his flesh and biting into his bones, allowing it to twist them as much as it is needed to fix the user. The pain caused by this is extremely great, but without the feeling of pain, it would be nothing to Guts. I heard that the previous owner of this armour was similarly devoured by its steel teeth, as he continued fighting until the last of his blood gushed forth from where his bones were broken."

"Wha...!? Why'd you put something like that on Guts when he's near dead anyway!?" Isidro shouted at Schierke, outraged by the decision.

Schierke didn't respond back, as she turned herself away. '_What do I do? It's my fault... again... Mistress, why...? Why a thing like that...?_' She thought, before closing her eyes. '_What must I do?_'

'_You will deal with it, my young apprentice._' Flora answered back. '_It is something that only you, being a witch, can do._'

'_Mistress! But I... I am still an novice, I am upset, and my magic..._' She argued back.

'_You now appreciate your inexperience and the danger of drowning in power... For this very reason, it should be possible for you._' Flora responded back. '_This swordsman, lost in the turbulence of power, you will show him the way._'

'_I... I understand..._' Schierke responded back, before she then moved into action, as she used a long piece of natural rope to create a circle around herself on the ground, placing down a gem on the ground, as she then straighten her staff.

"H... Hey... What are you going to do now!?" Isidro demanded.

"I am going to bring back Guts, before he meets the same fate as the armour's predecessor. Watch my back, please!" Schierke responded back, before she then closed her eyes, and concentrated her magic. '_I will try, mistress... I will... reach him!_'

Guts was already stomping towards Grunbeld, who was impressed that Guts has not yielded yet.

"Unbelievable! To withstand two attacks from my true apostle form... And even wound me? What the hell are you...?" Grunbeld asked Guts.

The only response that Grunbeld got from Guts, was a enraged howl, as he rushed at the dragon, hacking and slashing like a wild beast, swiping and striking from all kinds of angels, spinning around rapidly, and side-stepping so quickly that the dragon apostle was unable to tell where the attacks were coming from, as more and more of his natural crystaline armour was being broken down by the rage-filled attacks. He then saw Guts prepare to strike Grunbeld's head again, as the apostle was unable to move, his legs being hit too much to be able to properly move to evade the attack.

However, before that could happen, there was a change on Guts, that once again shocked everyone, as the jaws of the wolf-like helmet opened up with a creaking sound, revealing Guts's blood-soaked face, with the glow in the eyes disappearing. He barely noticed that Grunbeld was charging up flames in his mouth, preparing to roast the exhausted swordsman.

"Receive my fire...!" Grunbeld roared, before he then let out a breath of flame, that sped towards Guts. Guts was about to dodge the attack, before he was then tackled by something, knocking himself out of the attack's path. Grunbeld barely noticed the interception, as the person doing it did so quite quickly.

When he stopped, he saw that the one who saved him in time, was Meiling herself, as there were some of Grunbeld's flames licking her frame, although they died off slowly, with her dragon scales mitigating and suffocating the fire on her skin.

"Mei...ling..." Guts muttered back, his throat hoarse from his weakness caused by all those injuries accumulated in his berserk rampage. before he then felt a jolt of intense pain, as most of the pain that was ignored, came back in a massive wave of agony, causing him to immediately faint where he was, before toppling to the ground.

Fortunately, Elma was nearby, as she looked towards Meiling, gesturing her to lower the swordsman down. Meiling did so with a nod, as Elma then worked on healing Guts's many wounds, although it would take quite a while, with how much of his body was injured in the fight, taking into account all the fractured bones and lost blood. Meiling stepped up towards Grunbeld, as she slowly lowered her fists into a fighting style.

"...I can sense the blood of a ancient dragon in you, dominant in your veins." Grunbeld stated, not making any attempt to attack the red-haired pugilist at all. "I am able to understand that you are merely an outsider of this realm... But tell me, what compels you to protect these people, to the point that you would put all your effort to ensure their safety?"

"...You ask a pointless question." Meiling answered back stoically. "I do this, because it is my duty as a fighter, to drive back the enemy. What Richard requested of me, is to take care of Guts and the others. I will not be deterred no matter what. If you wish for someone to fight, then I will take the place, as Gus did. I will warn you though, you should be aware that we're both dragons."

"And yet you limit yourself in this human shell of yours." Grunbeld remarked. "Or perhaps, even bearing the appearance and structure of an human... You are still powerful enough to contend against me. Very well, a clash between dragons it shall be. I shall hold nothing back towards defeating you."

"Likewise." Meiling respectfully answered back, as she enveloped herself in a invisible layer of chi, which flowed around her body. "I shall show you that even the fist can be more powerful than any other weapon, if one were to master it."

Grunbeld then charged forth, as Meiling steadied herself, before she then blocked the dragon's charge with a elbow-block, surprising everyone, as she then countered with a arm-strike, which managed to push the dragon back, as Grunbeld skidded on his feet, before managing to stop.

"What...!? You managed to... push me back...!? That man... and now you...?" Grunbled exclaimed. "...Ah, truly fitting of the one who carries the bloodline of an ancient dragon! You are powerful indeed, but I will not be struck down easily!"

Grunbled then roared, as he conjured up multiple falling balls of burning flames, as they shot down towards Meiling and her surroundings. Meiling dodged them, by sliding and stepping across the field around her, as the balls of fire exploded, igniting parts of the field on fire. However, Meiling was still relatively intact, as she charged through the burning flames, ambushing Grunbeld right from the front, as she smashed her fist into Grunbeld's human face, as the dragon let out a grunt of pain, before the crack on his face grew larger, the cracks spreading further and further along the face.

"What the... She's literally smashing that dragon hard with just her fists...!" Isidro exclaimed. "Is this how strong she really is!?"

"A strike like that... I cannot take so many of those blows, and hope to survive. You are indeed a terrible enemy to face in battle, red-haired maiden." Grunbeld stated, before he then raised his head, as he was gathering flames from his surroundings, as it was forming a growing ball of glowing flames, that were purely orange. "However, I cannot allow my enemies to live, and threaten our master! These flames are strong enough to even melt steel, and soften even the scales of dragons! Even if you survive this blow, I will finish you with a swipe of my claw!"

Meiling noticed the charging attack, as she prepared herself, in her own way, as she slowly shifted her stance, before crossing her arms over each other, as her body began to manifest yellow energy around her, that flowed around her entire form, before she then put one hand over the other.

"Declare Spell Card... Chi Sign: 'Fierce Tiger Energy Release'." Meiling spoke in a tranquil tone, as the yellow layering grew brighter, as it enveloped her entire body.

"Burn to ashes!" Grunbeld declared, before he then threw the ball of pure fire at Meiling, as the red-haired dragoness readied herself, before she then darted forward at amazing speeds. She then slipped around the ball of pure fire, as the extreme heat brushed against her entire body, allowing her to feel it, even with the protective chi coating around her body, as the attack managed to miss her, as it struck the ground, and exploded in a bright orange pulse of light, causing everyone to shield their eyes.

Meiling, however, didn't need to do so, as she reached striking distance of Grunbeld, before she then slammed the dragon up, with a rising uppercut, sending the dragon flipping back, before she then unleashed a barrage of attacks, striking at Grunbeld's large face and neck, as the crystal armouring was being ground to dust by her attacks, and the scales were not strong enough to handle the attacks from the powerful chi-empowered strikes. She then hovered over Grunbeld's head, as she pulled out a spell-card.

"Declare Spell Card... Attack Sign: 'Roc-Killing Fist'!" Meiling declared, with much more energy,as her right fist was surrounded by a aura of blue flaring energy, as Grunbeld realised that he was in a position where he could neither block or evade the attack, being suspended mid-air. He could only brace, before the fist smashed into his face.

And with that attack, there was a large shockwave where the impact hit, before Grunbeld was sent tumbling through the forest, mowing down trees as he skidded further into the distance, as he was unable to react, as the blow managed to break open his head, as blood gushed from the now-exposed crack. The apostles, seeing that one of their leaders has been defeated soundly, they turned to flee, as Zodd saw that the battle was coming to an end.

"Well... Looks like Grunbeld has met his match, I take it." Zodd remarked, before he then spread his wings out. "It seems that I will have to retreat for now, as the witch will not be able to escape her fate, as the God Hand have predicted. Either way, having this fight with you, old rival, reminds me of what is to come."

The skeletal knight was silent, watching Zodd fly away, before he then opened a spatial portal, disappearing from the area.

Everyone was surprised, seeing that Meiling just up and defeated what seemed to be a dragon in a fight with the odds stacked against the group. However, not everyone was like that, as Gus was proud that Meiling managed to beat back the threat, and Reimu gave off a respectful smirk, seeing that Meiling turned the tables on the apostles, and Velouria felt a bit envious that she was being overshadowed by the marital-art user.

"It's finally done..." Schierke exclaimed, before she then fell onto her knees in relief. "We managed to... win..."

"Hell yeah! Now that's what I'm talking about!" Isidro cheered back.

"A odd battle, this is..." Serpico commented on the battle itself. "We managed to wrest free victory from the jaws of death, thanks to Guts and Meiling taking out that dreadful apostle."

"...Right..." Farnese stated.

Casca immediately went over to Elma, as there was great concern on her face. "Elma... Is he... Is he...?" Casca asked hastily, stuttering her words a little.

"He will live. I made sure on that. It took me a lot of magic to repair all of his wounds, but he will make it, I'm sure of it." Elma smiled back warmly.

"Thank you, Elma... Thank you for saving this idiot's life..." Casca answered back, as she was holding back tears of relief herself.

"Wait... What about Richard and Flora...? Where are they?" Gus asked, which snapped Schierke out of her relief.

"The mistress...!" Schierke exclaimed, before she looked back at the mansion, as it was burning quite strongly. "NO!"

* * *

_Inside the burning mansion..._

Richard managed to protect Flora, as he erected a dome-shaped barrier around them, as the mansion was falling apart around them, with flaming parts of the wooden ceiling falling down upon them, as there was the sound of explosions in the distance, possibly triggered by the many explosive and/or flammable ingredient and mixtures in the mansion.

"...We seem to be fine for now..." Richard answered back, as he wiped a bead of sweat from his head. "Flora... Do you think...?"

"Yes, the battle has ended." Flora nodded back. "Through sensing the od, I felt that draconic friend of yours, beat back the dragon apostle, sending him flying through the forest."

"I see... I guess that the dragon who came out on top of this spat, is Meiling." Richard remarked. "Not a big surprise, considering that Meiling is literally millenia old, while that apostle, Grunbeld, is only more than a century old at most."

"...How did you know of the apostle?" Flora asked Richard, before she then recalled a conversation she had with the skeletal knight, regarding Richard. "Ah right, you seem to have a good grasp on the flow of casualty in this world."

"It is not fool-proof. Things can change with my appearance and interference." Richard answered back. "I already done such a thing, saving Judeau, preventing Casca's mental shattering, which both created massive divergences in the bigger picture of the future of the world. Your exit, replacing your death, compared to those two, is a fairly inconsequential change, because you will be wiped from this world either way, but at least, you'll live to continue your work as a great sorceress."

"I see... May I speak with Schierke, before we depart?" Flora asked Richard.

"Like I told you, take as long as you like. I can even bring you to her, if you want to say these words face-to-face-" Richard was about to say, before the skeletal knight warped into the barrier itself, as he was still upon his horse, attracting both of their attention. "Well, it's quite rude to carry your horse into one's private room, don't you think, Twilight Knight?"

"I must apologise, but I have urgent matters to speak with both of you." The skeletal knight responded back, turning to Flora. "So... you have made your choice then...?"

"Indeed. He has given a fair offer to join him, and he has given someone like me, a new purpose in life." Flora answered back warmly. "I will help him in whatever way possible."

"Then I wish you safe travels, old friend." The skeletal knight humbly replied back, bowing his head slightly as a gesture of gratitude and good-will. "As for the matter... You two have not long to depart. The gears of casualty are flowing again, and your time is nigh, Flora. If you go past the time, the God Hand will sense the disturbance, and the Hawk of Light will send more than what he has before. The entire kingdom will fall to ruin, if such a thing happen, which will accelerate their desired outcome's progress, as well as decrease the chances of the Struggler achieving his purpose to defy them."

"I see." Flora responded back with melancholy. "Then I will make my farewells brief."

She then closed her eyes, as she reached out to Schierke. '_You have done well, Schierke. Now go... This forest will not last much longer._' Flora told her apprentice. '_Once the spirit tree burns down... This domain will likely close. If you do not leave, you will disappear along with it._'

'_No... I won't... I... I don't want to..._' Schierke answered back, as her voice was quite sorrowful.

'_This place is an interstice where time lingers for the old. This tree and I have both lived quite long. However pleasant the sunshine, the young must not dwell here forever._' Flora answered back. '_The time has come to leave the nest. Go forth from here, and find your own path, my dearest student... The days I have spent with you were short, but in all my long life, they were the most serene._'

'_Mistress... are you going...?_' Schierke asked back, as she tried to control her emotions.

'_Indeed... Richard must take me. It is fated to be, for if I remain here, it will bring ruin to this world._' Flora answered back. '_Do not cry for me... I will be watching you from afar, smiling down upon your fortunes and successes. I may be far from you, but I will still be there. If you dream of me... Perhaps we will meet again within these dreamscapes, and we will be able to relive the times we have had together. Until then, whether you grasp the fate before you, is up to you. May your going forth be blessed, sweet beloved child._'

'_Farewell... my sunshine..._' Schierke responded back, trying not to show her deep sorrow.

Flora then cut off the connection, as she then turned to Richard. "...I have said my part in all of this." She told him calmly, as a large burden was released from her heart, saying her farewells to her only beloved apprentice. "You are free to take me wherever you wish."

"Don't worry... I'm sure that you will be taken care of, where I shall take you." Richard answered back, before he then placed both of his hands on Flora, as he muttered a spell under his breath.

Flora began to feel the world slowly dim around her, as a wave of drowsiness began to spread through her body. She had a fair understanding what Richard was trying to do, as she did not resist the sleeping spell cast upon her, as she smiled, entrusting her fate in the hands of the younger magician. As soon as she was soundly asleep, Richard lifted Flora up, in a bridal-carry, before he then slowly lowered her through a sukima, as she was transported through it.

He then closed the sukima, as he then turned to the skeletal knight, who was watching all of this still. "...I guess that you're aware that my time here, along with my friends', is also coming to a close soon...?"

"Indeed. It has to be this way. You cannot support the Struggler forever, Rebel, for you have other duties, far more grander and far more dire than the matters of this realm." The skeletal knight responded back. "Even in your brief time within this realm, you have truly lived up to your name, standing in defiance against the inhumans, and being unafraid to taunt the deities themselves, and changing the whims of fate to your own path. You are truly a prodigious and influential being, with the help of your comrades."

"Indeed I am... I lived through everything I did, because I didn't give up, and I made best use of every single quality of mine..." Richard stated, as his tone was solemn. "Even then, I failed many times, as much as I have succeeded, and none of those failures left me without regrets. Also, as much as it may not garner emotion or sympathy from you... This will be the last time we will potentially meet. You will continue to guide Guts and the others, but I will not be there. Like Griffith, he will find himself losing someone he can rely upon, and someone he could call a trusted friend in his heart."

"...Alas. The world is a cruel place for mere humans." The skeletal knight answered back. "But the Struggler will not be deterred by this. You did not coddle him like a mother does with her child. You merely stood by his side as a comrade equal to him, never claiming yourself over him, training and developing him to become stronger and yet stronger."

"...That's how it is. Well then, farewell, great knight of the Twilight." Richard answered back. "If we meet again... I might tell you about how my journey and quest has proceeded."

"And I will await you... as a honoured acquaintance." The skeletal knight returned back, as the two of them left the mansion in their own ways, as the barrier dissipated, and the large room was finally buried under the burning debris that was held up for so long.

* * *

_Outside the forest..._

The group made their way out of the forest, as they just managed to get out of the edge of the forest, as they collapsed on the ground, exhausted through the long periods of fighting they had, during the defence of the mansion.

"Look!" Link exclaimed, pointing over the centre of the forest, as there was a blinding pillar of light that appeared over the spot, as it radiated large amounts of light, as it then exploded, spreading a halo of light that washed over the entire forest, before disappearing. "I guess that... the mansion is no longer there anymore..."

"Mistress... I won't forget you." Schierke remarked, as she held the staff close to her.

"Urgh..." Guts grunted, as he was being pushed along by Casca and Judeau, his companions, waking up mid-stride. "...What the hell happened while I was unconscious?"

"The Spirit Tree Forest is gone, like 'Poof'!" Isidro explained. "I think that the old lady is gone, like she couldn't have survived being buried in that burning mansion of hers."

"...She was a good woman." Reimu sighed back. "But I'm sure that she will be able to peacefully move on, and wait to reincarnate back into this world, to meet her former apprentice once again. Such is the circle of life and death, if what I learned about this place, is mostly true..."

"Right... So... Do you think Richard would have-" Antonio pondered, before a sukima appeared beside him, close enough to startle him badly, as he jumped to the side. "Woah, holy fuck-"

Suddenly, Richard came out, as he looked far better, and his chest wound wasn't there. Not only that, he also replaced his torn robe, for a new set, looking quite fresh.

"...Well, looks like this is all done." Richard smiled back. "I take it that you guys missed me a little?"

"...Yes." Velouria sighed reluctantly.

"Well, all's well that ends well, if I say so myself. No-one's dead... And we managed to get Guts his bread-winner." Richard answered back. "Well, the Berserker Armour is going to take some time to get used to, but once you do, Guts, you're going to become something that the God Hand will regret messing with."

"Heh... So all I have to do, is tame this armour myself then...?" Guts asked back, before he smirked. "Well then, I guess that I got a lot of training to do, trying to wrest control over this thing, now clad around me."

"Wait, what do you mean 'no-one dead' exactly?" Corrin asked back, a little miffed about Richard's casual attitude about the matter. "And how do you know what Guts is wearing right now?"

"Will the statement 'Flora told me about it clearly' be sufficient enough?" Richard asked back. "And as for the big question... Well, I'll put it out there, I didn't go to the mansion for no reason. But right now, we need to get to Elfheim, so that we can get this journey done and dusted."

The group then continued on, as Gus and Antonio turned to each other.

"With how he's saying that, and considering how he usually is... He definitely saved her, don't you think?" Antonio asked Gus.

"Most likely. Richard's not the kind of person to let someone die so simply." Gus answered back. "He's clear on who he saves and who he makes sure dies by either his hand or in any other way possible. It's fairly scary, but it also makes it easier to understand what he might try... Unless he starts pulling out real complex plans..."

"I hope that Yukari doesn't rub more of herself onto him..." Antonio responded back, shivering a little. "I can't bear having to deal with a Richard whose mischievousness and planning is beyond what should be possible for any kind of person that is NOT that crazy space-bending woman..."

The two of them cut their conversation short there, as the group continued their way down the road, heading towards the port, in order to travel to the continent where their destination lies at.


	20. Chapter 19

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Chapter 19: To the Sea and Kushan Attack

* * *

_At the shore of the continent..._

The group made their way down to the sandy shores, as they looked around, seeing that they have finally made it to the edge of the sea, as some of them were surprised that they were at the sea-side itself. The sounds of sea-gulls crying above them, rang through the sky, and the skies were a healthy blue, as if the day was quite typical, letting everyone feel relieved, after all of the troubles they had to face in this twisted world.

Isidro was already running, as he was bounding through the shore itself, looking like a excited child for once.

"This is the sea!? Frreeeaaaking huge!" Isidro yelled with joy, before he then stopped near the water itself, stripping himself down to nothing on his torso, before then leaping right into the sea, before anyone could stop him.

After a while, the reckless boy washed up by the sea, as he was flipped over, covered with various sea creatures, a star-fish on his head, and a sea-urchin in his mouth, as the boy twitched erratically. Elma gasped, before she then moved to help him, as Richard and Judeau both shared some chuckles at his expense.

"That looks fun. I understand Isidro grew up in the mountains, so it comes to no surprise." Serpico stated.

"It's just a big puddle! And it's sticky and stinks like salt." Ivalera complained, before she was bopped on the back with a finger by Antonio, causing her to jolt forward with a yelp, before turning around, looking quite incensed. "What's your deal, spiky-head!?"

"Hey, don't hate on the sea! It's got a lot of good things! Just because it's water, doesn't mean that it doesn't have any other scenic value." Antonio responded back. "Plus, we could have some fun."

"Maybe not now. We'll try and find a place to rest up for the night, before we engage in some beach activities." Richard answered back, before he noticed that Schierke was standing on one side, looking towards the sea itself. A gust of wind blew her hat off, causing her to be shocked, before Richard dashed over and caught the hat, and placed it back on the apprentice's head, snuggling it firmly on it.

"Thanks." Schierke answered back, before Ivalera, noticing what just happened, came over and said, "What's got you so distracted?"

Guts looked at his own body, seeing that Elma was able to heal most of the wounds, although it did leave some scars on his body, as he then looked at the group around him, as they were conversing about the sea and their journey ahead, before he then sighed softly.

"You sure that you're going to be safe keeping that armour on, Guts...?" Gus asked the scarred warrior. "The armour did do a lot of damage to you, while you fought on the brink of death."

"Don't worry. Your demon girl managed to do a well enough job for me to keep going, without having to sit down and lick my wounds." Guts answered back. "Besides... You know that I can't let something like this armour stop me."

"Fine... But you better not let this control you... Being in a berserk rage is doubly dangerous, for yourself, on the count that you could die if you don't snap out of it quickly enough, and for us, since you might kill us unintentionally in your rampage." Gus responded back, his tone showing his worry for Guts.

"But now I've got a reliable magic user." Guts answered back. "Besides, you guys might be good enough to keep me down, if I tried to attack you. I mean, Meiling took down that lizard, no problem, if Isidro's account was right about it."

Guts then looked on, as Reimu and Elma entered the water, followed by Velouria and Link,as the four of them waded gently into the water, up to at most knee-deep in water, as Elma was quite happy to walk along the shallow waters, as it felt cool on her legs and feet, also soothing her. "I thought, never again, could I watch the sun set and be calm for once."

"That is a great thing to cherish." Gus nodded back, before he then looked over towards Gunter, who helped everyone find a place to stay for the night in, as there was an abandoned cabin in the distance, in fairly good condition. "I only hope that you'll be able to see this times more often."

* * *

_In the night..._

The group were enjoying seafood soup, or more specifically, seafood nabe, that Reimu pointed out, considering that she was aware of the meal that Serpico was making, which slightly surprised the blonde-haired former witch hunter, as he wasn't aware that the dish was something that was part of a country's cuisine, one that he has never heard of.

As Richard glugged down the soup, while Guts used a wooden spoon to taste it, Serpico turned to them both. "This is my first bounty of the sea in so long, only greater with the aid of Corrin and Velouria, who helped me in the task. I wished to practice my art of cooking. Is it too salty?"

"A bit, but the broth is fairly good." Richard examined the meal, before he then chewed through a piece of crab claw, and sucking on the sweet white meat inside of the hard shell. "But the seafood inside was cooked well, so the salt only makes it taste more better on the natural aspect. I wonder if the herbs that you have collected from the forest beforehand, managed to do that."

"This stuff's good. That's all." Guts nodded as well, as Serpico took both compliments to heart, giving off a thin smile.

"What's with the hair though...?" Isidro asked, with wooden spoon in his mouth, as he pulled it, and pointing out the patch of white on Guts's head, which appeared only after he donned the armour. "You don't look like the Black Swordsman now. More like the MOSTLY-Black Swordsman now."

"That's to be expected." Richard answered back, picking open a shellfish in his bowl with his hand, and sucking out the meat inside of it. "You fight hard, hard enough that your body begins to break down, your hair is going to be first to go. Turns out whether you're frightened too hard, or that you pushed yourself a little too far, it bleaches your hair. I'd say that if we see his hair turn all-white, that's going to be grounds for worrying about how much life is in him."

"These crab and shellfish corpses are pretty good." Ivalera remarked, as Schierke slowly ate her fill.

'It's barbaric though." Schierke answered back.

"Well, you can't be vegan around here." Velouria remarked. "You got to have some meat to build up a good frame. I got this body by eating a lot of meat, and working it off into proper muscle and sustenance for my body. Sure, you revere life, but you do know that there's a food chain, right? Trying to save things would mess it up bad, and make nature go crazy from the drastic change. So you just have to deal with it."

"...That's true... And it's tasty." Schierke conceded.

'Oh, right. I forgot to ask." Isidro suddenly stated, looking towards Puck, perching on Elma's shoulder. "What kind of place is your homeland, anyway?"

"Elfheim! A utopia amidst the sea, far to the west, the flower blossom, the birds sing, and the elves dance the day away, and more!" Puck exclaimed, as he spoke dramatically, and posed the same way.

"I have heard of it from my mistress too." Schierke interjected. "On a legendary island in the western sea, an island called Skellig. Like the forest of the Spirit Tree, it belongs to the interstice, so it is unrecorded in that area of ocean, and regular humans cannot reach it."

"If it ain't recorded... Wait a damn minute..." Isidro asked, before his eyes snapped to Puck. "So you're going to guide us there?"

"It is also said that many magicians live with the elves on that island. I have always wanted to see it with my own eyes." Schierke answered back.

"Hm... I see.." Judeau remarked. "Then we might see more of you and Richard's like there?"

"Um, Schierke... I have an earnest request to make." Farnese interrupted, as she stood up, setting her bowl down. "Would you be willing to teach me magic?"

At that statement, Serpico barely resisted to do a spit-take with the soup in his mouth, as he was shocked to hear that, quickly swallowing down the soup, before it would dribble down on his robes, and then turning to Schierke with a disbelieving expression. "La-Lady Farnese... What did you just...?"

"...Well, this is going to be interesting to hear." Reimu simply stated, crossing her arms, as everyone reacted to this, some approving, and some disagreeing like Serpico.

"So Farny wants to be an witch... Considering how Richard did all that... And how Schierke managed to do a lot for us..." Isidro stated.

"I have been thinking about it ever since the trolls." Farnese exclaimed, as she reached down and clasped Schierke's hands with her own. "To be honest, when Richard cast the flood, and you created the magical bulwark, my heart trembled that time, so much dread and excitement, at all of the miracles you caused, at the art called magic. In this unknown world, into which I took my first steps, I was powerless, only able to hug my knees and cower, while the others fought for me. But when I was given that magic dagger, I felt that I was given courage to fight once again."

"But, that's just a silver knife... So..." Schierke stated timidly.

"To me, the dagger was undeniably magical, having managed to cleave through trolls easily..." Farnese continued. "Flora said to accept the great mysteries, and explore the entire universe from within your world. That is the way of magic. If there is a light of reason that illuminates the unknown darkness, then please, I ask you to impart it to me."

"Then... why would you ask her, not Richard? He is the one who is more capable of direct magic." Casca asked Farnese and Schierke.

"Because the magic I use... It is through a system that you will not be familiar with. The only reason I was able to connect with the water spirit, is because I used Schierke as a outlet to receive the power." Richard answered back himself. "I lack the proper experience to teach my form of magic to you, and even then, I lack the means to do the proper teaching. So I'm afraid that Farnese is right to approach Schierke, whose magic system is more down-to-earth and infinitely easier to grasp than mine."

"...It is said that magic is quite unmasterable if one can remember a time when they did not study it. That is because, more than any other reason, as a person ages, they become bound by the world view of the physical world before their eyes, and those prejudices become harder to abolish." Schierke answered back, before smiling. "But... you have been through some thoroughly dreadful experiences, so that does not seem to be a concern for you. I am still in training myself, but I think I can at least teach the basics to you."

"Thank you so much, teacher!" Farnese exclaimed with joy, as she leaned closer to Schierke, who inched back to avoid being made uncomfortable by her newly-inducted and eager disciple.

"T-Teacher..." Serpico remarked, as he twitched in disbelief, before letting out a despaired cry, clutching the sides of his head. "L-L-Lady Farnese... A witch...!? WWAAAGH!"

"...Well, that's a hoot. Who knew that someone against magic, would become a disciple of it." Guts chuckled slightly under his breath.

"Right then... I might just take a walk. After all... I need some time to think to myself." Schierke answered back, before she then exited the cabin.

After a while, all silent, Guts stood up, before he then followed Schierke outside. Richard then looked at everyone, as they were fairly silent.

"Well... The silence is awkward..." Richard answered back. "I think that we might have some time to burn, before we head to bed."

"What do you plan on doing?" Gus asked, before Richard produced a pack of cards. "Oh... Of course."

"What manner of game is this?" Serpico asked, intrigued by the pack of cards. "Some sort of playing cards? I never seen this kind of brand before."

"Don't ask about it. I'm sure that you might know a game or two on cards, Serpico... But I've got other ideas." Richard answered back. "So... Who's in?"

"If you're betting money, count me in." Isidro remarked. "I'll tell you that I'm quite good when it comes to playing these kind of games, that rely on wits."

"Woah there, you might want to watch a few rounds before you begin playing this. And also, the only money betting is between me and Reimu." Richard responded back, before he then shuffled the cards. "House rules, everyone. Isidro, Casca, Judeau, Serpico, Farnese, just listen and watch, to learn how this game is played. I assure you, this game is rigged to no-one's favour. This game... is all about luck, and fore-sight."

* * *

_After a few hours of playing..._

"Damn!" Isidro growled, as he slammed his remaining cards down on the table, as he was the last to finish in the group of 8, as the circle of players occasionally swapped around, as Puck watched round after round of cards pass, often helping out Elma as much as he could, although he almost got caught by Richard, who threatened to gap him out, until the cards were all done, were it not for Elma pleading for Richard to not do that. "The hell is this!? Why do I end up getting crappy hands all the time!?"

"Well, you did have good hands." Reimu remarked, smirking. "Shame that you weren't good enough to play it right."

"I must say, this game is really interesting." Serpico stated. "To have such complex rules, which make each game a battle that can be won with a single hand, if one were to know how their opponents would act..."

"Yep. That's Big 2 to you all." Richard nodded, before he then collected the cards, shuffled them down. "You win some rounds, and you lose some rounds. You're more likely to end up as the latter, as you're against everyone here. You lose the advantage, you're unlikely to get the lead back in the battle to empty your hands first. Not only that, all it takes is a well-planned counter to your plays, or even worse, a sapper's quartet, that can immediately render the player who played it almost an guarantee to win the round, regardless of what is played before it."

"Thankfully that there is no bet to all of this..." Judeau sighed. "I could barely hold on to what little I have, with how badly it's going for me."

"Cheer up. I'm sure that fortune will smile upon you soon, Judeau." Corrin smiled back.

After a while, the door to the cabin opened, as Richard immediately placed the deck of cards back through his sukima, and then clapping his hands. "Alright, that's enough for tonight." Richard stated. "Now then... How was the walk, both of you?"

Guts walked past the gathered group, as he was mostly aware of what went on, although Schierke didn't feel the same, as she just walked forth.

"I have some good news for everyone." Schierke announced. "At Elfheim... If we can find King Hanafubuku, then we will be able to use his power to remove the Brands of Sacrifice that have been embedded on Guts, Richard and Casca.

"What!? Is that true...?" Casca squawked out, surprised by the news.

"The three of them... might be able to be free of all of the dark torment following them!?" Farnese exclaimed as well.

"For real!?" Isidro added.

"Yes. King Hanafubuku is said in legend to be a great elf king. I think there is little doubt that even a arduous task like this, is something he can do reasonably well within his bounds."

"Still, this is wonderful news to hear of, the three of you." Farnese told the branded trio.

"Yeah, that would be quite heart-warming to hear, that there is hope of ridding this curse upon us." Richard answered back with a hopeful smile. "This means that Casca and Guts will be free of all of this."

"Why not yourself, Richard?" Judeau asked back, curious.

"Psh, you saw that these demons have nothing on me. And with friends as good as the ones with me... I don't need to fear being tormented." Richard answered back.

"I see..." Judeau hummed back, nodding slightly.

Suddenly, there was a fog that rolled out outside, as it unnerved Elma, who noticed it, as well as Schierke. And then the Brands began to act up, as Richard and Guts jolted to the windows, and caught notice of the fog as well.

"Guts! Did you... notice it too?" Schierke asked him.

"What is it, both of you?" Serpico asked them.

"Something's coming, hidden in the fog." Guts answered back. "Looks like we've got company."

"Fun! It's been a while since we saw any action!" Isidro smirked, drawing his Salamander Daggr.

"The usual wraiths, perhaps?" Serpico pondered.

"Not quite." Richard answered back. "The charms were dealing with them, weren't they? I think that it's something greater. And with the Brand bleeding... It's something like an apostle, but not exactly of those things..."

"The od is closer to the monsters who attacked the mansion of the spirits, than to simple wraiths..." Schierke confirmed Richard's answer. "Something feels different about them... Like they are merely ethereal bodies..."

Velouria looked outside, as she peered through the fog, before she was able to catch the sight of crocodiles, waddling on their back-legs, their fore-legs acting as arms, holding a spear in them. They also had a eerie glow to their eyes, as if they were possessed by something.

"I see crocodiles standing on two feet and holding spears... Not exactly normal, even in this damn world, don't you say?" She quipped, as everyone prepared their weapons.

"By your description, that means that these creatures have been controlled by spirits dwelling within them. A magical life-form, a 'familiar', so to speak." Schierke answered back.

"That sounds more like magical parasites, than actual familiars." Reimu scoffed. "I know proper familiars, and they're known as 'shiki-gami' from where I come from. And it involves magically contracting to become one, not latching on any physical body like a leech, as I have said."

"Well, familiar or no, we can't just sit around, and expect them to pass by us." Richard answered. "The Brand reacts, it means they're after us. We're going to take them out, before they actually start attacking us in our abode. Everyone, get out, and be ready for battle."

"Right. Ivalera!" Schierke called out to her pixie, as the pixie slapped paper charms to the north and south sides of the cabin, as they had triangles on them, with lines crossing the top side of it, and the triangles were pointed in the direction they faced, in terms of the cardinal direction they were situated on. Ivalera then cheerfully gave her an OK sign, before the apprentice looked up to the skies, where she saw that there was a full moon in the sky. "Tonight is a full moon. The time when the power of magic is most manifest. Even though this is not a church or holy ground, I can still affix the formation of the Four Kings. Please buy me a little time until the completion of the spell."

As everyone was prepared to get out and fight against the familiars, Schierke called out to Guts. "Wait, Guts! A full moon is also when a person's mind is most unhinged." She warned Guts. "Be extra cautious that you do not let your mind sink into the insanity stored within the Berserker Armour."

Richard, Antonio, Gus, and Link were the first ones to clash against the bipedal crocodile warriors, as the group easily cut through their wooden weapons with little ease, although cutting through their scaled skin was a little more difficult, for all except for Richard, who used his dark katana to cut through their skin, and use Divine Judge to gouge through their body from the wide gashes his former strikes did.

Serpico used his Sylph Sword to cut through the familiars, as his cutting winds proved to be more than a match for the scales of the crocodiles, and Isidro usually did sneak attacks from below or behind, stabbing his Salamander Dagger between the gaps in their scales, as it either cooked them alive if he was able to plunge the length of the blade into the familiar, or weakened them greatly if not, allowing their actual opponents to finish them off. Judeau, using his weapon, managed to take out the enemy with his throwing knives, as his metallic spike bursts managed to skewer the crocodiles, leaving them to die a slow death.

Guts was fighting quite strongly, as he looked around, seeing that the familiar numbers were dwindling, thanks to the combined efforts of everyone, although his mind began to waver, as a familiar feeling of dark rage and blood-lust ran through his head, as it was the very spirit of the armour trying to lure him into a berserk frenzy. However, Guts shut his eyes for a moment, and suppressed the feeling hard, using calm feelings to smother the hot rage.

'_Can't afford to let it take control here... Draw out the minimum power of the armour, just enough to move, and control the pain enough to move freely... The one who's holding the reins here... is me._' Guts thought to himself.

Behind them, the cabin immediately lit up, just as the group forced the wave of familiars back to the shore, as the same prismatic barrier that was erected in Enoch Village during the troll attack, surrounded the cabin.

"Keh! Always gotta be so damn flashy!" Isidro remarked.

'_Everyone... You are all right?_' Schierke asked back through their minds, before she then received everyone's confirmation one by one. '_For now, at least, the cabin is secure. But the familiars are not like the trolls, who have only astral bodies. Though they are warped, their bodies are of flesh. The spiritual sensitivity of their astral bodies wrapped, in the membrane called matter is quite dulled. There is a limit to the efficacy of the bulwark against them. If they continue to advance on it... Eventually...'_

_'So it's only a stop-gap measure, is it, Schierke...?_' Gus thought back solemnly. '_Is there any way to blunt the enemy assault? Any leaders that lead their assault? Anything that can more permanently stop them?'_

'_There is. These familiars do not possess the willpower to __act individually. There is sure to be a nearby spell-caster controlling the mob. If you defeat him..._' Schierke answered back, to everyone.

'_I understand._' Richard thought back. '_Leave this to me. I'll sniff him out myself. You just keep that barrier reinforced._'

Richard then closed his eyes, as he spread his senses out, using his magic to detect any traces of magic. After a while, he managed to find it, as it was on another part of the shore.

"I located it!" Richard shouted, before he turned to Antonio. "Antonio! Take care of the spell-casters! I found them on the shores!"

"Got it!" Antonio shouted, before he then sped through the familiars, cutting them down along the way. "Get out my way, you damn lizards!"

Antonio then managed to reach where Richard had detected the spell-casters, as they were right there as he predicted, all of them looking like dark-skinned monks, that were clad in white monk robes, which was their only clothing on their bodies. He also noticed that some of them had white tattoos of runes engraved on their heads.

The spell-casters noticed Antonio, although far too late, as Antonio sped towards them, and beheaded them in a flicker of speed, as the separated heads landed on the ground. Afterwards, Serpico managed to reach the area, as he noticed that Antonio finished the job for them, before he then noticed the heads on the grounds.

"These are... Kushan...?" Serpico blurted out, attracting Antonio's attention, as he grabbed one of the heads, taking a closer look.

"Yeah, you're quite right. They're the same kind of people who attacked us back in one of the villages..." Antonio stated, before a plume of fog rushed out the mouth of the deceased spell-caster, causing Antonio to yelp and drop the head. "...What the!?"

More plumes of fog exited through the mouths of the other deceased Kushan spell-casters, before they merged and formed a wispy figure above them, which seemed to have a head with many spiked appendages, before it disappeared as well.

"This is definitely supernatural crap here..." Antonio grumbled, before they then heard the ground rumble ahead of them. "What NOW!?"

He then turned around, as a dark figure rose out of the water, as Antonio and Serpico readied themselves, as they knew that this was some sort of monster. The figure then finished rising out of the water, as it was something that looked like a mesh between elephant and whale, as it had large fins around its blobby body, and a large whale tail. However it's head was a different matter, as it had elephantine features, like large floppy ears on the sides of its head, a long trunk, as well as short tusks on the side of its maw, which was filled with sharp fangs. It then let out a loud and deep bellow, as the size of the creatures, which was even larger than the ogres they fought before.

"The... The hell!? This is... Oh god, if Jonah's whale and Dumbo had a son..." Antonio remarked. "This damn thing would be it demonised!"

'_Schierke! I sensed something big coming up the shore! What is it!? It looks like some sort of marine creature that is able to live upon land!_' Richard called Schierke through the telepathic link.

'_I... I do not know, but as with the familiars-_' Schierke responded back.

'_It's being controlled by someone. But it has to be a lot... because this creature..._' Richard thought, as he watched Serpico and Antonio avoid the attacks of the creature, while trying to retaliate, although their attacks weren't doing much against the monster. '_It's quite powerful..._'

Richard then closed his eyes, as he sensed it once again, although he put a lot more effort into it, as his senses spread across the ocean itself. After a while, he was able to locate the controlling spell-casters, as he smirked slightly. "Clever. Controlling your weapon from the sea. You'd expect that there is no naval capabilities with us... But you would be wrong to think that there is no way that I can get you. In fact, you just only sealed your fate."

He then immediately opened a sukima, as he appeared on top of the boat, as the spell-casters were surprised for a moment, as Richard smiled widely, and waved a hand.

"_Bon soir_, gentleman. You do know that these waters aren't quite safe at these times of days." Richard told them, before his teeth showed through his smile, in pure malice. "Especially when you're left with nowhere to go if something goes for your boats, like this!"

Richard then snapped his fingers, as a live grenade from his arseneal was dropped on the boat, as Richard slipped through a sukima, waving his hand again, and saying a mocking "_Ciao_!". Before the spell-casters could even figure out a plan to deal with the live explosive in their boat, it exploded with great magnitude, tearing everything around into thousands of pieces, as the spell-casters were vaporised at point-blank range to the grenade, and some of the water was dissipated by the heat of the explosion, creating a large plume of steam.

Meanwhile, back with the group, Guts reached the beast, as he was prepared to fight it to the death, even ready to tap into the Berserker Armour for whatever power is needed to help him get through the fight. However, before he could do that, the beast immediately froze, as it looked around, as if it was recently awakened, as it slowly morphed into a regular whale, while it slowly retreated back into the waters. Upon sensing the great amount of killing intent i the air, created by several of the people nearby, it quickly paced its retreat. Guts was surprised that the familiar was already released, as he wondered what the reason was, until Richard appeared besides him, looking quite reasonably smug.

"Don't worry, the ones controlling this big lug have been, safe to say, not physically existent at all." Richard told Guts, before he noticed that the armour on Guts's body began to react, as the wolf-like helmet, which was drawn back right behind his neck, was slowly creeping up, as the eye-slots began to glow ominously. "Guts... You don't need to try to fight anymore. Calm yourself down, or you're going to get controlled again."

"What about the-" Guts asked back, before he noticed the crocodiles were already gone, as they started retreating back into the ocean, having completely forgotten their reason to crawl upon land, without the control of the Kushan spell-casters, as all of them reverted back to their normal quadrupedal locomotion motions, as the rest of the group didn't attack them, seeing that they're harmless now. "Oh right. The familiars in them are gone, right?"

"Yep." Richard grunted back. "Still, be careful. If you draw too much, you'll go too deep in your berserk state, that you won't be able to be dragged back to reality. You heard Schierke, your mind is extremely vulnerable under the light of the full moon. No wonder the armour was reacting so strongly, despite the fact that you are actively resisting it with your mental will-power. That should be enough fighting for the time being."

"We should be safe to rest for the night. If not... I'll stay up as lookout for danger." Gus told everyone.

"I'll participate in the night watch. It's only fair for a gatekeeper like myself to keep guard." Meiling offered as well, although Reimu scoffed gently at that.

Schierke, knowing that the danger had passed, decided to leave the magical bulwark active, as the group entered the cabin one by one, ready to tuck in for a night's rest, all except for Gus and Meiling, who stood by the entrances to keep an eye out for any hostile creatures or beings that seem to be heading in their direction.

* * *

_A few days later... at Port Vritannis..._

The group passed by a few platoons of soldiers, all bearing different banners of their respective kingdoms, as there was also civilian foot-traffic and vehicles heading inwards towards the port, as the port was right before them, looking like a well-built castle, with the tall and sturdy fortified walls on the border of the port. Isidro was left stunned at the amount of soldiers gathering to the port, as it was hard to find a single square meter of land in sight, that was not occupied by soldiers.

"Wowww... It's an army. That old shepherd before, ain't kidding before..." Isidro responded with a worried expression on his face.

"It's actually a muster of armies from all the Holy See's territories." Serpico answered back. "The great knights of the Chuder Empire, and the Kingdom of Balden. From the east, the royal knights of the duchies of Morgar and Wallatoria. The army of the newly established Randel Commonwealth under the Paneria Alliance, the army of Lana, and mercenary groups of Faris, Nise, and Vritannis. There are also others that I have yet to mention."

"H-How did you managed to recognise all that, Sir Serpico?" Elma asked back, amazed at Serpico's recognition skill of the present armies.

"Because Serpico was an herald to arms, young Elma." Farnese answered. "He has every coat of national arms and royal knight troupes memorised."

Richard, Guts, Casca, Judeau and Corrin shared a look amongst each other, upon hearing the mention of Chuder, before Judeau then turned to Serpico.

"Say, if you know most of the royal knight troupes, then let me ask you this. Do you know of the Purple Rhino Knights?" Judeau asked the blonde-haired rapier-user.

"Indeed I do. The Purple Royal Knights belong to the Kingdom of Chuder. They are renowned for their elite discipline and skill on the battlefield, especially General Boscogn, who managed to claim the heads of many experienced officers of Midland, back when they were at war with each other." Serpico answered back.

"Looks like you know your stuff then." Judeau conceded, before Guts spoke up.

"Yeah, and then he lost his own life at the battle of Doldrey. He was the only man I respected out the entire line of greaseballs leading Chuder's forces." Guts growled.

"I remember a certain one who paid for his life for the transgressions he attempted to force onto me." Casca scowled as well.

"You all seem to have a fairly great hatred for Chuder." Serpico stated to the both of them. "Could you tell us what garnered such hatred?"

"...We're mercenaries before all of this demonic shit fell onto all our heads, Serpico." Richard answered back. "That's all you need to know. We played both sides before, so we know who's the chaff and who's the real talent. Like Guts said, Boscogn was a good man. Shame that he was eradicated by someone better. But then again, good people die on the battlefield for no reason, other than the others' survival. At least he was given a fair fight to die with honour against..."

"Hey, which army's the strongest then?" Isidro asked, before he found himself being dragged back by Corrin. "What?"

"...Let's not ponder on that question. It doesn't matter. This alliance has nothing that interests us." Corrin told the ginger-haired boy sternly, with a hint of sorrow in her voice.

'_What the... She seemed a fair bit pained to hear that kind of question. What's her problem?_' Isidro thought, as he complied and kept his mouth shut.

"Speaking of mercenaries... The scent of the battlefield around here... the clamorous preparation... This is my true home, on the battlefield itself." Guts remarked.

Richard looked at Guts for a moment, before the group continued past the armies, right to the gates into the docks. As they came in, they saw that the streets and alleys of the docks were filled with people going about their lives, as the former members of the Hawks had their attention caught upon something fairly interesting, while the others looked around, and saw the various soldiers gorging themselves on any nearby food booths, pubs, and food stores, while Elma tried to comfort a ill-looking Schierke, who was a little nauseous having to deal with a urban environment, that was noisy and chaotic, unlike her usual peaceful times in the forest.

"Hark, brethren gathered for the holy war!" A man cried, standing in front of a pile of crates, dressed like a noble with fancy clothing under his armour, and puffy sleeves, surrounded by a small group of men, dressed like him. "If you've confidence in your skills, come ride with us! We are the Band of the Dawn Fang! As you know, gentlemen, our deeds of arm include going unbeaten in the Randel war of Independence, as well as beating a Balden heavy knight brigade!"

"Who're those flashy guys?" Isidro asked, intrigued by the man's call.

"He's a recruitment barker. That's how mercenaries enlist troops. The guy on the crate is their leader." Guts answered back stoically.

"The leader does this himself?" Isidro asked back, turning to Guts.

"Well, you got to show that you're worth having the men." Richard interjected. "Does he look dependable? Does he look wealthy? What is his stance on his soldiers and more. And looking at how he is... He's too uppity to be a good leader. Mercenaries will do any job, as long as it gets food on their table, morality merely a rarely-sought attribute for the job. You want to be an mercenary, you got to be damn strong, and know which fights are worth it or not, as well as knowing the relations between you and the leader, as well as the relation between client and leader. A good leader is one that can use his men well, no matter how crap they are at fighting, and turn struggles into victories. When you're a mercenary, you're either a good warrior, or you're a simple pawn. The difference is that the former can act for themselves and earned the respect of their comrades and leader, and the latter couldn't give two shits about those things and just only care about loyalty."

"And as for their feats... They're only good for getting the easily-persuaded." Casca scoffed bitterly, glaring at the recruiting band. "A few feats like that, and they believe that they're worth anything? I bet all of their fights were as little as their band is, and they might have won the other feat through a fluke."

"So they should be strong, with a charismatic leader everyone likes." Isidro pondered, as Richard nodded lightly in agreement.

"Oh, I do recall one with charisma. Sir Griffith, the mercenaries he led was the Band of the Hawk. In the hundred-year war between Midland and Chuder, he never lost to his Chuder opponents. He was the legendary mercenary who, after the Band of the Hawk became part of the Midland's regular army, brought about the surrender of the impregnable stronghold of Doldrey, defeated the Purple Rhino Knights, said to be the mightiest in Chuder's army, and finally lead to the conclusion of the war. I believe we discussed this earlier, right?" Serpico recalled, and then asked the others.

Casca was frozen hearing that name, while Guts showed a brief flare of anger, which he quickly hid, while Judeau was plain stunned. Richard however, merely sighed and nodded.

"Indeed we did." Richard answered back.

"Oh, hey, you said that you were mercenaries before... What group were with all with?" Isidro asked the others.

"...It's best we do not talk about it." Link denied back. "Regarding that matter, we have too little to discuss about that topic."

"I see." Serpico answered back. "Ironically, it can also be said that the discord between Sir Griffith and the King was the cause of the fate Midland faces today. Rumours have it, the Hawks were destroyed by the King's scheming... But some also say that they remain in Midland and are fighting the Kushan. I do not know the real truth."

"Well, it's best that you don't know." Judeau spoke in a serious tone, with a similarly strong expression on his face. "This kind of thing... I think that this is also something that we would not like to touch upon. The Band of the Hawk... It's something that we rather not talk about."

"Oh? Why's that, blondie?" Isidro asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Let's just say that we were mercenaries looking up to them." Richard lied smoothly. "We were the only ones who found the actual truth about the Band of the Hawk... and... well... Let's just say that the results are not pretty at all."

The group passed by, as each time they passed by the town guards, the group huddled up around Schierke, until Richard decided to deal with the problem, as he took Schierke's hat off, much to the apprentice's displeasure.

"Hey, give that back, Richard! That's the hat the mistress gave me long ago!" Schierke complained, before Richard shushed her, before she could attract any attention.

"Calm down... It's only temporary." Richard whispered back, before he then dropped the hat in a sukima, as Schierke froze a little, worried about where it went. "I'll keep it here, until you're safe to wear it again. In here, no-one can find it at all, even if they tried to scour me entirely for it."

"...Alright, I'll trust your word on it." Schierke complied, as she nodded back, before the group continued along the port.

* * *

_After a few hours, in a small house rented by the group..._

Farnese and Schierke were sitting opposite of each other, on a wooden table, as Ivalera was atop it, standing beside a fresh red apple placed between the two of them. Farnese's eyes were locked on the apple, while Schierke instructed her disciple.

"Look closely, please." Schierke told her disciple, as Ivalera chimed in with a 'Concentraaate.', and Farnese slowly closed her eyes. "So as to burn the image into your mind. Slowly, close your eyes."

Farnese then shut her eyes entirely, as she concentrated on the apple she saw before, as white threads of light were forming in her sight, as they moved and twisted to slowly form the shape of the fruit. "Now imagine it, the image of the apple you just saw. Shape, colour, as much detail as you can. Not rushed... but slowly."

When Farnese was at the limit of her visualisation, she couldn't make the apple in the right shape, as it was blurred heavily, let alone have the apple in any colour, other than a black and white frame. She opened her eyes and sighed, frustrated. "It's no use. The image is blurred and will not take firm shape." She responded back.

"That's how it is, at first." Schierke encouraged Farnese. "This is the first step towards becoming a magic user. It is basic practice for 'tangibly imagining a phenomenon within your mind'. Magic is not accomplished merely by reciting spells and drawing symbols. It is the chaining of images in conjunction with those fields that first yield efficacy. The essence of magic is the world of thought, practised in the astral world and what you felt a portion of already."

"The trolls and ogre... And that light, yes?" Farnese asked back.

"The four-hued light is the manifestation of power from me personally proceeding into the astral world, offering supplication and receiving assistance from beings known as the Four Cardinal Kings. The astral world is comprised of wills and powers, memories of portents in various domains. To accomplish things in the midst of that, more than anything, it is necessary to make your mind, your ethereal body adhere firmly as a projection of the physical body, so as not to lose yourself." Schierke explained, as she picked up and handed the apple to Farnese, who received it, bringing it closer to her face. "We magic users call that unwavering stable projection, a body of light, a 'luminous body'. That apple is your first step in obtaining your luminous body, Farnese. Persistent practice is sure to bear fruit. Please do your best."

Farnese slowly nodded, as she tried to visualise the apple mentally in her mind, although she was still failing. After a while, the others, who have situated themselves to different parts of the house, heard the sound of the front door opening, as a dejected Isidro and Serpico walked in, heading upstairs, where Casca, Guts, Judeau were, along with Farnese and Schierke.

"Aaah... Man... Forget it. Not a single bite." Isidro moaned.

"That was sure a vain effort." Serpico commented as well, as Richard rushed after them from behind.

"Welcome back, how did things go?" Farnese asked both of them.

"They went nowhere." Isidro bluntly stated.

"We tried every maritime trading firm, and even a private ship captain in the city..." Serpico explained. "But every ship has been commandeered as a warship or has accepted military-related commissions. They curtly... well, all of them turned us away without negotiation."

"Honestly, we overestimated our prospects." Guts sighed. "I assumed something would work out as long as we reached a port, but it looks like this is different from how our journey's been left to chance so far."

"So, two choices then, we force our way onto a ship, suffering what consequences may come, or we keep trying, and hope that we can find a free ship to commandeer." Richard proposed.

Hearing that, Farnese stood up, as she had a urgent look on her face. "Would you mind... leaving this to me?" She asked everyone in the room.

"What, Farny? You got some idea?" Isidro questioned back, as Serpico had a shocked expression on his face.

"Lady Farnese, you can't mean..." Serpico asked, as there was dread in his voice.

"I will be gone for a bit." Farnese walked over to the stairs, before turning back to Serpico. "Serpico...?"

"A-Aye..." Serpico stated, as he received Farnese's ceremonial dagger, as Farnese left after her.

After a while, Serpico wordlessly left the house as well, possibly in pursuit for his mistress, causing everyone to feel a tad bit suspicious about what was going on.

"Say... Don't you think that this is fairly coincidental...?" Richard asked back. "We're down a ship, and Farnese suddenly offers to help us by using some sort of means to get us the ship we need. That should have raised some eyebrows, right?"

"Well, even if we say that, we don't have any basis to be suspicious about her for. Her attachment to our group is most genuine." Judeau commented, walking up behind Richard. "It must be something else that she had to do, that only she can do alone."

"...Yeah..." Richard stated, before he then turned to Schierke. "Schierke... A word with you please...?"

"Of course, Richard." Schierke agreed almost immediately, as she followed Richard downstairs as they walked down into a small room, where no-one could see or hear them, before Richard closed the door behind him.

"Schierke... I have something to tell you, no, actually two things." Richard answered back. "I'll tell me the good one out the two first. Your mistress... Flora, she is very much alive, and she is safe with us, in another dimension."

"...I'm glad to hear that." Schierke responded back. "Although it will be a long time until I see her again, knowing that I can still be with the mistress in time, gives me hope to continue. But... What is the other thing you wish to tell me? You said that the mistress's condition was the good part of the news. Does that mean... something bad has happened with you or your friends...?"

"...Yes." Richard nodded back, as his expression turned solemn. "After you make for port... We will part ways."

Schierke was shocked to hear that, as her mouth fell open, as she tried to find words to respond back to Richard with, feeling betrayed that the group's most potent and reliable members were going to be leaving so soon.

"...Do you plan on coming back?" Schierke asked, trying to keep calm.

"...Not as fate intends." Richard answered back, before he then leaned closer. "You see, our time here has long passed. We should have left this world, and moved onto others. As a friend, I couldn't bear to part with you so suddenly and sourly, so I decided to stick close, until the opportune time come. Your departure will mark the moment that we will split paths, most likely never to meet again. But I will ensure you that we will do you one last favour, before we leave."

"But why...!? Why would you want to leave us!?" Schierke exclaimed in outrage.

"Because it is my role to travel through the worlds, and be a saviour. I failed my job here, by letting what I considered to be my comrades die for nothing but torment." Richard replied back. "And you all have grown to the point that you do not need us to fight your battles, and be your extra hands. You will be strong enough to make the rest of the journey, and put an end to this age of darkness. Your role is set, as is mine. I'm sorry that this had to happen, but think of it this way... Everyone has a purpose, myself as a saviour... Would it be right if I stayed with you all, and turned an blind eye to all the other worlds oppressed and tormented like this one?"

"...No..." Schierke reluctantly answered.

"That's right... To be honest, I can't bear to leave Guts, Casca, Judeau, or even you behind. All of you treated us as true friends, despite everything we have went through." Richard responded back. "I cannot betray that trust for nothing, but nor can I let it disturb my duty. I do have something to give you though."

Richard then opened a sukima, as it deposited a rainbow spherical crystal charm that was threaded through with string, to act as a necklace.

"Use this... This is my own created fetish, something that I created with someone long ago." Richard offered. "This crystal has two purposes. One is to enhance your connection to the elemental forces of the world, while maintaining your degree of control over your sense of self, and the other is help stabilise your emotion, by washing away negative emotions like sorrow, fear, anger, and guilt... For someone like you, this is the most optimal gift that I can create for you."

"Richard... You... You really would..." Schierke asked back, as she was about to return it, although she saw the sincerity in his eyes, making her consider not doing so. "I... I can't possibly take such a gift."

"Think of it as paying back all the work you have done for us." Richard smiled back. "And a apology gift for this sudden development. Please... take it."

Schierke stopped for a moment, before she then slung the crystal gem around her neck, tucking it under her robe. "...Now I see why the mistress favours you." She admitted with a warm smile. "...You're the only person who could still show kindness, despite all of the betrayal and manipulation you have been through."

"Well... That's not entirely true. I'll be handing two more gifts. One for Guts, the other for Casca. I'll hand them on the day of departure." Richard smiled. "Now then, how about we see if the time we spent in here, if things have changed at all."

Schierke nodded, as they came back upstairs, as the group were still doing their own things, passing the time away, while they waited for Farnese or Serpico to return.

After a few hours, Serpico did return, although without Farnese by his side. He seemed to look fairly disturbed, as everyone directed their attention to him.

"Daammmn, took you long enough. Where'd you wander off all night?" Isidro asked Serpico. "Well, what about the ship? Where's Farny?"

"A ship has been arranged." Serpico announced, much to Schierke's glee. "Lady Farnese... Lady Farnese will not be rejoining you."

"What? Why!?" Casca demanded, as she got up from her seat, walking over to Serpico.

Serpico didn't say anything, as he pulled out a scroll from inside his waist pouch, and placing it on Casca's open hand, as the female officer was confused as to what the scroll was, with red stamp and ribbons tied around it of the same colour. "Take this, if you show this to any trader in the city, you should be able to acquire a ship and as many sailors you need. Just do not open the seal before you do so." He told the brown-haired woman, before turning to Schierke, and pulling out the magical fetishes that Farnese was carrying. "I am returning these borrowed items. Thank you very much."

Schierke quietly accepted the items, as her hand brushed against Serpico's, allowing her to sense his emotions, as they were in turmoil, being mostly grief, as well as a sad Farnese in a regal wedding dress.

"Oh behalf of the Vandimon family. I offer the sincerest gratitude for safely returning the head of the family's daughter, Farnese Do Vandimon, to this place." Serpico bowed deeply, speaking in a curt tone. "It amounts to little, but our Vandimon bank shall shoulder the burden of any and all expenditures your group incurs in the city. Again, I extend our formal thanks. Now, by your leave..."

"W... Wait a second, Serpico, please!" Schierke pleaded, as Serpico was already marching down the house stairs.

"Hey. There's no harm in at least telling us the reason, is there?" Guts asked Serpico, who stopped in his tracks.

"There is nothing for me to say on this matter." Serpico argued back dryly.

"I wanted to try having a fight with you again." Guts bluntly stated, as Casca glared at Guts strongly for that.

"That... motivation no longer exists. Good day, all of you." Serpico responded back, as his eyes moved to the corner of his eyes, before he left the house, shutting the door firmly behind him.

"Well... What a fine mess this has become..." Richard stated. "Is there any way we can figure out what's going on?"

"It's no use for me. She must have untied the hair I placed on her, so her mind is closed for thought transference." Schierke answered back.

"What gives, we've all cheated death together so much, and in the end, it's a scrap of paper and 'have a nice life'? That's why I can't stand aristocrats." Isidro sighed, taking a closer look at the scroll in Casca's hand.

"Well, when I touched Serpico's hand briefly, I felt his conflicted emotions, as well as Farnese's sad face and attire."

"Wait, what kind of dress...?" Richard asked back.

"It seemed to be a long frilly dress, with a silken hood-" Schierke explained, before Richard placed a hand up. "What is it, Richard?"

"I guess that confirms it then. Farnese decides to throw herself away, and use herself in a political marriage, to get a favour done for us." Richard deduced, placing a hand on his chin. "As for who did what, she must have been offered the choice, if she decided to do that. And she was given good reason to make that choice as well."

"Well then... Do you think that we should get your apprentice then?" Guts asked Schierke. "It's ain't much of a deal, since she's the only one who can cook for good around here, excluding Casca, but she can only cook so much at once, for a lot of mouths like our group. So it ain't worth it to let her go yet. "

"Right then... Could you at least trace the direction Serpico went?" Richard asked Schierke as well.

"...Yes. I can guide you all." Schierke answered back.

"Well then, time to get back a good companion of ours then." Judeau chimed in, as the group readied themselves.


	21. Final Chapter

Unmei Force: Vengeance

Final Chapter: The Clear Sky Above Us

* * *

_In the streets of the Vritannis Port, at night..._

The group made their along the streets, as they found that the path towards where Serpico was going, was blocked off by several guards. Using Schierke, they followed after the blonde aide to Farnese, hoping that they'll lead them to where she was.

"Tch... guards..." Velouria answered back, before looking back at the group. "Alright, how shall we do this? We conk them out, or we use Richard to warp us behind them?"

"I rather not do something like that in the open." Richard denied the latter option, crossing his arms. "Too risky to get caught using this kind of magic and sending the entire city into a state of uproar just for a simple bypass. And as for the other one... That's nice, but you DO know that you'll bring down everyone on us, if they even REMEMBER being conked out, right?"

"Well, what would you have us do then!?" Velouria exclaimed back.

"I can attempt to influence their ods." Schierke suggested. "By doing so, I can manipulate their memories and perception of us temporarily, long enough for us to pass through undetected."

"That sounds like a better idea." Gus stated. "How close do you have to be, in order to do something like that? And will it work on all of them?"

"Yes, I'm able for the task, and I need to be within sight of them, in order for my magic to work." Schierke nodded.

"Then let's go. Just make sure you don't botch this, Schierke." Richard told Schierke.

The group continued along, as the guards stopped conversing with each other, noticing the large group coming their way, as they snapped their heads towards them, and reached for the weapons, except for one, who slightly raised his spear in a threatening manner.

"Halt! Who goes!?" One of the guards demanded from the group.

Schierke didn't answer the question, as she produced her staff, raising it. "I beg your pardon, but you will allow us to pass." Schierke spoke with a forceful tone, as the tip of her staff glowed briefly, as the guards froze up, as if their consciousness were severed from their bodies.

"Yes... you may pass." The guard spoke in a eerily hollow voice, before the guards themselves parted away to allow the group passage.

"Gooood night shift." Isidro told one of the mentally-influenced guards, as he passed by them.

"That's some real Jedi mind-tricking there, Schierke... Never thought that it's this easy for you." Antonio remarked at her method.

"What do you mean by Jedi?" Schierke asked back, as Richard gently bopped Antonio on the top of his head, causing the humanised hedgehog to clutch his head gently.

"It's just a foreign term. Pay no heed of it." Richard answered back coolly.

The spell over the guards eventually faded, as they immediately were back to themselves, as they were left confused about the brief lapse of unconsciousness they had, as they looked around for any strange signs. However, the group were long gone, already past a corner and out of their sight. Schierke was casting another spell, this time aimed at the group themselves, as the more magically-proficient noticed a gentle wave of magic energy wash over them.

"There. I have used a spell to distract od. But don't make too much noise, or it will attract the attention of others." Schierke added.

"You sure are handy with all of this magic." Reimu commented, with a fairly impressed tone in her voice. "Guess that means that it's smooth sailing from now on, so long as nothing goes wrong."

As if on cue, the Brands reacted, as Schierke sensed a ethereal presence coming towards them, and a fairly low layer of fog crept around them, covering their feet. Reimu groaned, as she felt like that she regretted saying that in the first place.

"Fog... Come to think of it, this fog appeared when those familiars attacked us... And the weather here doesn't seem to create as much fog as we are seeing now, unless it is a unnatural formation of the weather." Corrin stated, as she raised her hand towards her weapon. "Do you think-"

"Wait, then that means, those are going to show up again!? In the middle of this city-" Isidro shouted, before his mouth was covered by Meiling, who looked at him sternly, as Isidro got the message that he shouldn't shout, with Schierke's spell on them.

"Yes, definitely." Richard answered back, before the distant cries of the guards dying was heard, causing everyone to be alert. "It feels like many, so let's hope that it's not the entire pack coming towards us now."

The group turned back, as there was the sound of metal rolling across the ground, before they were accompanied by muffled footsteps in the distance, which was then accompanied by a large shadow creeping out of the passage, as it looked like a four-legged beast. When Velouria squinted her eyes to have a better look, she saw that the thing was, in fact, a large striped tiger, with demonic eyes and fangs.

"Well, looks like the kitties have come out to play." Velouria remarked, as she armed herself with her claws. "I've been itching to bring a few cats down to where they belong."

"Well... aren't you a cat hater..." Gus sweatdropped, before the demonic tiger charged at them, as the group prepared themselves to fight it, only for it to dart away from them and jump right into the fog itself, as it disappeared, although it most likely has ignored them, thanks to Schierke's spell concealing them, with its footsteps growing more and more distant.

"I guess this spell works well, if it did not detect us." Gunter stated, while Velouria let out a disappointed sigh, and withdrew her weapons. "So, if I may remark, this creature is most definitely a familiar, although of a different kind."

"If we can use the fog to our advantage, we'd sneak in no problem, and get both Farnese and Serpico out clean and simple, if the fog was big enough to hide that overgrown cat." Antonio stated.

They soon continued along, before they were near the front entrance of a great ballroom, as the entrance itself was guarded by armoured guards, which lined up along the entrance itself.

"...Figures this would be the tough part. Ain't walking past that, with our group this big." Isidro grumbled, before turning to Schierke. "Can't you do the same stuff you did before on all of them?"

"It will take a little time with that many people, but I will see what I can-" Schierke stated, before she then felt something communicating through her mind, as she went silent for a moment, worrying the group.

"Schierke... Are... Are you alright?" Elma asked the apprentice with concern.

"...Yes. I'm fine. Just follow me..." Schierke answered back after a moment, guiding the group around the hall. "Thought transference from Serpico. He says he's waiting at the rear entrance to the ball. There is also no guards posted there, so we can easily make our way in from there."

"...Something tells me that this ain't that simple. Why would he help us in... when he certainly didn't want us to interfere with his and Farnese's matters?" Reimu pondered, with a suspecting tone. "This is fishy... I think Serpico has something planned for us. It better not be outright back-stabbing, or he'd be stupid to try something, when everyone is here."

The group moved into the back entrance, as it took them into a large room, which was surrounded pillars lined up in rows and columns along the entire room, as if it was creating a maze of pillars for those who went into the room to thread past. Schierke was left looking around, as she called out Serpico's name again and again, trying to find the person who called them here.

Serpico then walked out into the light, as the group saw him, before he stopped. "This colonade chamber was, at one point in history, Kushan territory. When this land was won back from them, it seems one part of the palace was preserved as a victory monument." Serpico stated, before he then raised a finger. "I apologise for calling you over here."

"No... It's fine." Link responded back. "You still helped us to get around the guards. We should be grateful for your help."

"Link... That's not exactly what he's going for." Richard frowned, before turning back to Serpico. "You called us here for a reason. Tell us honestly, do you really call us here to help us, or did you pick this place for another reason?"

"As astute as always." Serpico responded back, before he drew his blade. "I'm afraid that I cannot allow you to meet Farnese. Guts... This is presumptuous, but you said you wanted to fight me. I will grant your wish right here and now."

"We don't have time to waste with you!" Velouria shouted, stepping forward. "This is not the time to act like a upstart-"

"Velouria, enough." Richard stopped the wolf-skin before she could finish, before turning to Guts. "...Make this quick, but don't push yourself. You know what's ahead of us right now."

"Fine." Guts grunted, before he then drew his large weapon out.

"Guts, you can't!" Schierke argued back. "What has gotten into you!?"

"Something we can't let go of, I guess." Guts answered back, before he continued walking.

"Let it happen, Schierke. We need to win back Serpico the proper way, and that is for Guts to beat him on his terms." Richard assured Schierke. "And even though the terrain is stacked against Guts... I'm sure that he'll prevail."

"Besides, what are you worrying about? There's no way they'll go at it seriously." Isidro added. "They'll stop just short."

"Wait, what do you mean that the terrain does not favour Guts?" Virion asked, before he then noticed the pillars. "Ah... clever lad... He knows what he was doing."

Guts tried to draw his blade back, only to find that the pillars around him were obstructing his blade, forcing him to be unable to swing his blade properly. Serpico noticed this, as he began to speak again.

"It must be a bit cumbersome, that huge sword. This colonnade chamber is also known as the 'Forest of Pillars'. The space between them is narrower than normal, and there is a vast number of them. Something tells me I would not win against you head-on. I do hope you'll understand why I use such under-handed methods to achieve my results."

"As always... You're one cunning bastard." Guts smirked, before he then swung his blade regardless, as he put extra force into it, as his blade smashed through a pillar in his path, as Serpico rushed back to avoid the swinging blade, as it broke through more pillars in the blade's path.

Serpico tried to mount an counterattack, by thrusting his rapier at Guts, who deflected it with his prosthetic arm, before Guts retaliated with a wide swung that took down more pillars, as Serpico ducked behind one of them, and used it to swing himself around Guts and launch an attack, that Guts's armour defended against, although sending the black-haired warrior reeling back, before he regained his footing.

"D-Damn... Serpico can do that good against Guts even without the magic hood..." Isidro commented on the fight. "Still... That's cheap, using the pillars so that Guts can't swing his sword properly. But I guess that's strategy as well..."

Serpico was slowly being cornered by Guts, as he was destroying more and more pillars with his wide swings, as he tried to thrust for Guts's head, only for it to graze against his armour, and force him to jump back, to avoid a downwards swing that slammed into the ground, cracking it. Serpico then noticed that Guts was going for a blade thrust, as Serpico noticed that his unarmoured hand was holding the blade, as he thrust at it, hoping to cause Guts to drop his blade when his hand is struck. However, Guts did a split-second switch of his grip, as the blade instead struck the metal prosthetic, as Serpico rolled away.

Serpico then rolled behind Guts, before jumping off the pillars, in order to reach above Guts, before he then thrust his blade again, as Guts turned to block the blow with his armour. He moved aside, to avoid a quick swipe from Guts, as he skidded in front of Guts, as he was beginning to sweat coldly, noticing that the pillars in the area were all destroyed, save for the single one behind him.

"And so... the tables turn against Serpico now..." Link commented.

Guts roared, as he thrust his blade forward, determined to run Serpico through with it, forcing the blonde-haired opponent to clutch the pillar behind him, and flip his lower half up to avoid the thrust. In doing so, the force of the attack collapsed the arch that the pillar was connected to, as Guts was distracted by the stone blocks falling towards him. He moved back, although Serpico saw an opportunity to strike Guts precisely.

Yet... Guts raised his blade, as he used the flat surface of the blade to block the falling stone blocks, and twisted it slightly to block Serpico's thrust. Guts then flattened Serpico onto the ground with a slam of his blade, as Serpico was left buried under some rubble. Guts was silent, as he kept his eye and blade on Serpico, as Richard walked over.

"Well... That didn't go so well, didn't it, Serpico?" Richard asked back. "You underestimated the fact that Guts have fought in these kind of disadvantageous situations before, and he powered through them."

Serpico groaned, before he raised his head slightly. "I never thought that you would utilise the crumbling pillar... Did you read my intent?" He asked Guts.

"No. It happened by chance and reflex." Guts answered back.

"Then, once again, with you and your reflexes..." Serpico sighed, slowly sitting himself back up, as there was a trickle of blood from his forehead, as it was smashed open by a rock.

"The jig's up, Serpico. We know what Farnese is trying to do." Richard answered back, crossing his arms.

"Guts... Richard... When you see Farnese... Then, what do you both intend to do?" Serpico asked back.

"...We'll see if this is truly the outcome she desires for herself, to end her journey with us prematurely. I'm actually fairly touched that Farnese went from swearing to have us killed, to becoming willing to be a hostage to political marriage, just to help us." Richard answered back.

"We haven't decided... But we're definitely seeing her for sure." Guts responded back as well.

"You really are... one to leave things to chance, the two of you..." Serpico chuckled, before Elma then moved over, raising her staff. "Young Elma... Your assistance would be most appreciated."

Elma nodded, before she then helped to heal Serpico's head wound, while Guts and Richard prepared to leave.

"Hey... Was that for real just now...? That fight...?" Isidro pondered.

"Damn right." Reimu answered back. "They would have killed each other, if they actually had the proper chance to. Well, not Guts, since he went for the non-lethal takedown. But Serpico definitely held nothing back."

Isidro gulped, as he was about to say something, only to be cut off by Reimu. "Before you whine about the fact that either of them could have died, recall that this fight was needed to persuade Serpico back. As I remember... What you brought with the blade, you win back by the blade. That's an old mercenary saying. Besides, if Guts really didn't give a shit about letting Serpico live... Well, how powerful do you think the cannon that Guts wield is? He had a lot more options to kill Serpico, but he opted to go with his blade to minimise Serpico's risk of death. That's why Guts was the one holding back, although not in terms of power, but in terms of lethality."

"Let's get a move on. We got familiars again." Richard called to everyone, as Serpico was surprised to hear that, turning to Meiling, who nodded firmly in confirmation.

"Pretty soon, this city's going to become a battlefield." Guts stated. "If it ain't, then it's going to be at least a heavy attack on the port. Antonio told me how the Kushan were responsible for the familiars. If that monster's their scout, or vanguard, then it might have headed for where the most important people are gathered. Considering that you speak highly of Farnese, and she has a house name... She's going to be in danger, if she's a former noble reinstated."

Serpico was tense, hearing those words, as he clutched his fists tightly, and his look turned serious and determined. "Let us go... I will guide you in." Serpico stated.

"Then you might want these back." Velouria responded back, before she pulled out the Sylph Cloak and Sylph Sword, before both of the items were pushed towards Serpico by a mystical breeze, as the cloak slapped onto Serpico gently, and the blade glided into his hands, intriguing Velouria. "Well, they did say that these things are inhabited by elemental spirits. Guess they've missed their old owner so much, that they decided to welcome you with great big hugs."

Serpico quickly grabbed the cloak and slid it over himself, before he then placed the Sylph Sword into his dominant hand's grip, before the group proceeded along the pathway, as Serpico lead them through the area.

They slowly ascended a flight of stairs, as it took them to one of the doors into the ballroom, although they couldn't see much light coming from the other side, through the gaps in the door-frame.

"I don't think that we made it quick enough..." Corrin spoke with concern in her voice, which triggered Serpico's desperation, as he smashed the door open, and rushed into the ballroom. Everyone else slowly moved in, as Serpico saw that Farnese was knocked down, as the frenzied tiger familiar from before was right on top of her, as it roared and swiped a claw to slice Farnese open.

However, Serpico sped up, as he used the cloak to glide him towards Farnese, before he grabbed her in a bridal carry, and dodging out of the tiger familiar's swipe. Farnese was surprised, as she was dressed in a royal ball dress, and there was an entire gathering of nobles, some of them already torn corpses by the tiger's rampage through the ball. The ones alive watched with awe, as Serpico held Farnese closely.

"Serpico..." Farnese muttered.

"My apologies. I was needed as a guide, and had to step away for a bit." Serpico answered back.

Guts immediately approached the tiger, as he drew his blade out, attracting the Kushan familiar's attention. "Looks like the party's in full swing." He remarked, before he then pointed his blade at the tiger, in battle stance. "Here, kitty-kitty, I've got a toy for you."

"Guts...!" Farnese exclaimed, before she saw the rest of the group moving into the ballroom. "Why's everyone here...?"

"Why, it's only for you." Richard answered back. "You think that you can be done with us just like that? We're too closely-knitted through the journey to be waved off like that."

"Wh-Who're they...?" One of the men, who was dressed in regal clothing, and had curled blonde hair.

"H-hey, you mean that man's... He means to fight the beast!?" One of the male nobles exclaimed in disbelief.

"That's insane! That monster tore so many people to shreds in an instant! What can he do himself!?" Another noble expressed their disbelief. "Call the guards!"

"But, look... Look at his sword..." Another noble chimed in. "Ridiculous! No man can wield a sword that large!"

The tiger, seemingly affected by Guts's earlier taunt, snarled before lunging at Guts. However, Guts merely shifted his blade back slightly, before then cutting through the tiger mid-lunge, as it cleanly bisected the familiar down the middle, as the two parts flew past Guts, spraying some blood on him, before they slammed onto the marble ground of the hall, shocking the nobles.

"Wh-What a man! In one stroke!" A noble blurted out in sheer shock.

"Unbelievable! Who is he!?" Another noble cried.

"Such splendid skill!" Another noble stated with respect, approaching Guts. "No doubt you must be a knight of renown... But of what army?"

"Not yet. It ain't over yet." Guts shook his head, before more tiger familars smashed through the ball windows, as one of them clawed through the nobles that were talking with Guts, as they rushed in and started mauling the nobles gathered by the windows, before they growled, encircling the nobles with bloody maws and claws.

"Eeee! So many!" One of the nobles panicked.

"W-We're done for!" Another noble wailed in despair.

"Oh, have some backbone, you spineless nobles." Velouria snorted back, before she then drew her claws out, with a sadistic smile. "Here, kitties, kitties... You're about to see who's the real king of the forests here, you overgrown cats!"

"There's spellcasters nearby!" Schierke exclaimed. "They're by the foot of a bridge, east of the palace!"

"I'll take care of that." Antonio stated, as he dashed out of the ballroom, as Schierke guided him quickly.

"Everyone... Um... I..." Farnese meekly stated, facing the rest of the group.

"Farnese... I know that you wanted to help us, but we can't just let you go that easily. Surely you don't want to leave that badly, do you?" Corrin asked back.

"Corrin... I..." Farnense muttered back, before she then looked back at Velouria, who was laughing madly, as she was tearing the tigers apart with her claws, spraying blood everywhere, as the nobles were disturbed by her near-maniacal rampage onto the tigers.

"We can talk about all of this later. Right now, we need to leave this place." Gus stated, before he then noticed the nobles that were trapped in the ballroom. "But... not before we save everyone here."

"If you can at least save my family... I will be in your gratitude." Farnese answered back.

"We will protect as many as we can, you have our word." Link responded back firmly.

Meanwhile, outside the ballroom in the palace, Antonio was sweeping through the streets, making quick turns, before he then found the Kushan spell-casters, who were hiding in a boat under the bridge, as he leapt down, and landed squarely on one of the wooden posts.

"Sorry, but camping is not allowed here." Antonio smirked, before he then leapt onto the boat, and cut down every single one of the spell-casters.

Back at the ballroom, Velouria was panting, as every tiger familiar that invaded the building, all lad near her, torn apart by her claws, as she was soaked with the blood of the animals, making her look like a blood-soaked demon, which unnerved some of the nobles, while the others were in utter awe and respect seeing such a brutal performance.

Guts merely sighed, before he then walked over to Farnese, who was still hesitant to speak, after everything that happened.

"Your family's here. It's the aristocratic world you know and are familiar with." Guts stated. "Is this the last stop on your journey?"

Farnese was silent for a moment, looking around, before giving her answer. "No... Within this cage of stone... I finally realised this isn't this place to which I wish to return. It's simply where my journey began long ago." She answered back, before she smiled back. "I just... missed it, and wanted to visit it again, for the sake of old times and memories. That's all."

"Glad that you're back with us." Richard remarked, before he showed the letter that Serpico gave them. "Then I guess that this might end up null and void, if you won't fulfil your end of the bargain. Well, ain't going to matter. We aren't that cheap, that we're going to use such a method to get a boat. Hell, with the people dead, I think that some of the vacancies for ships, have been opened up, so that's a solution there."

"Richard!" Gus shouted, appalled by Richard's words.

"Alright, maybe a little too harsh there. But let's deal with what's at hand first, before we then resume the search for a boat." Richard answered back, correcting his words. "Who knows, we might get offered the boat we need, as a reward for beating back the encroaching menace around the port?"

The nobles were chatting amongst each other, after confirming that they were indeed safe for the time being, as they discussed about Velouria, who seemed like a fierce and merciless demon to them, and the group in slight mention. Before long, the guards did arrive, although they were met by the bloody scene of nobles and familiars slain around the hall, as well as the group around them. With Velouria still blood-soaked, a hasty conclusion was drawn, and the guards pointed their weapons at the group.

"Well... Talk about being ungrateful." Velouria snorted. "Guess I went a bit too far."

"You think!?" Reimu exclaimed, quite miffed about Velouria's comment.

"This is getting complicated." Guts muttered.

"Nobody draw anything. We've done everything. Surely we can't be blamed for all of this-" Richard advised everyone.

"Wait." A elderly man, dressed with a bishop's hat, and regal robes, walked in front, as the guards lowered their weapons, while he slowly walked to the group.

"Lord Vandimon?" One of the nobles muttered.

"Father..." Farnese quietly uttered under her breath.

"First, on behalf of everyone here, I must offer gratitude to you people for putting an end to this mayhem. Thank you." The lord spoke in a grateful manner, as the nobles clapped on cue, applauding the group's efforts, while Velouria merely shrugged at how quickly the tension dissipated. "These repulsive monstrosities this evening... It hardly seems false to me to deem these ugly creatures war beasts sent by the Kushan in a scheme to take advantage of the party, and murder the personages of each nation."

"War beasts... But such queer beasts as these...?" One of the nobles questioned the lord.

"I have heard they are savages who prefer to use beasts in battle. Perhaps these were born of some secret art of crossbreeding or drug use." The lord explained clearly.

"Ah yes... That does make sense." Another noble agreed, before he then turned to Puck and Ivalera, who were floating above the heads of the group. "B-but Lord Vandimon. Th-These... What are your view on these things?"

"...I am not sure how to describe what I see. But they seem to have no effect whatsoever on the environment around them." The lord responded back. "Thus, we can only conclude that these are mere illusions."

This shocked both pixies, who were offended by the comment, and the nobles were slightly reluctant to accept the conclusion made by the lord.

"Well, that seems quite far-fetched..." Gunter answered back. "I wonder how this lord can spin the tale in a realistic manner..."

"Y-yes... But milord... For it to be so clear in the public eye..." The noble answered back.

"Perhaps the wine we drank was drugged, or it was the fog permeating the room that fouled up our senses. It is a kind of mass hallucination." The lord calmly explained back. "In any event, it is the aim of the Kushan army to strike at the heads of the Holy See domain and throw our allied army in confusion. To fall so easily for such a transparent tactic is the height of folly. It is disgraceful behaviour for an adherent. Or do you all of you gathered here, intend on the night of deployment, to go trumpeting about fairies and monsters, thus becoming a laughing-stock of the soldiers."

"...Ah... What you say is true." The noble conceded in turn.

"Pretty amazing reversal this old man pulled off. In a way, got to admire him for pulling through with that." Isidro commented.

"Your old man sure is tough." Guts added.

"Yes... I think so to..." Farnese nodded gently back.

"Well, it seems that we're likely to be done here. Now, all we have to do is look for-" Richard stated, before he then paused, when his Brand reacted, and Schiekre sensed a surge of ominous od rushing towards them.

From the fog itself, a large shape was forming, which disturbed the nobles, before the fog slowly gathered above them, as it slowly began to take shape.

"Illusion? Illusion, you say?" A booming male voice rang through the hall, before it created a face that Antonio and Serpico were familiar with, being the one they saw emitting from the deceased spell-casters back at the shore, as it was in much clearer detail, with wrinkles and vein dotted across the mouth-less face, and large empty eyes that bore into the entire crowd.

Everyone looked up at the large face above them, which spoke, as Isidro let out a surprised cry, while Guts growled, knowing that the being before them was a apostle, or at least a projection of them.

"Hear me. I am Emperor Ganishka the Great of the Kushan Empire. I have come to this place to declare a proclamation of war against you infidels." The large fog-made face declared. "Know this... That they are the start of a nightmare without end this evening."

The fog then dissipated, as it then rushed out of the ball windows, until there was not a single wisp left inside the building, as the nobles were in disorder, and even the lord himself was shaken upon seeing this supernatural occurrence.

"Wh-What's with that huge face!?" Isidro exclaimed.

"I sensed an enormous sinister magic power. He was the same as those who attacked the mansion of the Spirit Tree. An inhuman demon!" Schierke stated.

"I.e, he's an apostle." Richard responded back. "And if he's declaring war... right now, we're likely to have been attacked long before already."

"L-Look! It's terrible!" One of the nobles cried, looking out of the ballroom windows, as the skies above were glowing orange from fires in the distance. "The sky's red! It's an fire...!?"

"That's towards the harbour!" Another noble exclaimed. "So then it's true...!? The Kushan are..."

"Right, that's our cue to get going." Richard stated. "Not a moment to waste. If we wait too long, then our way out might be endangered, since the Kushan are likely to burn the harbor the ashes. No harbour, means no boat for us, so we need to work hard to prevent that from happening."

"Right, so, how are going to do this then?" Reimu asked back.

"If the Kushan are mounting an full offensive, then they'll have to have many spellcasters spread along the port, to control the horde of familiars swarming the streets. I'll use my ability to sense od to detect these spell-casters. If you are near them, I'll notify you as soon as possible." Schierke stated.

"Right then, time to save a burning city then. The situation's a little familiar." Antonio stated.

"Everyone, spread out. We need to ensure that we cover every district in the port, in our search for these spell-casters." Richard ordered everyone.

"I'll take the kid, Casca, Judeau and a few of your friends. Meiling. Link. Gus. Gunter. Virion Will you come?" Guts responded back.

The five of them nodded, as Richard then gestured for the rest to follow after him, as the two groups split off, in order to deal with the attack on the docks.

The groups slowly pushed their way through, as they found that the garrisoned forces were already in battle with the Kushan familiars, although among the familiars were strange humanoid creatures, that seemed to wear armour and fight like proper humans, although they were drastically different than them, with red skin, demonic faces with out-grown tusks on the edges of their mouths, short horns on top of their heads, and some of them were unnaturally large.

"...Oni? No... That's just something else." Reimu remarked. "Oni are nowhere as ugly as these things. At least an oni has a manly charm to them."

"I don't care what they are, they're going to be dead." Velourira growled. "We aren't letting them ruin our chances of getting out of here."

Corrin's eyes traced along the entire battlefield, as she found that there was sappers moving along the battlefield, as they were equipped with explosives, that seemed to be targeting a part of the harbour gates. She briefly separated with the group, as she slew the sappers before they could reach their designated locations, thus thwarting one of the Kushan's plans.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Virion managed to locate the spell-casters, while he was standing on top of an building, as he used the height advantage to help him snipe them in the head, killing them, as a part of the familiar swarm was left confused without control, as the rest of the group slew them quickly before they could be forced back into control. He then moved along, as he shot arrow after arrow into the head of the Kushan forces, hoping that there would be an end to the number of demonic familiars and soldiers that they had to face off against.

"I'm going ahead. The rest of you, spread out ahead." Richard answered back, as he rushed past the ranks of familiars, using his blades and magic to carve his way past. "I think that the spell-casters are ahead. When they're down, we're going to need to quickly sweep the enemy forces out of the docks."

The group made their way through the enemy forces, as they found that some of the red-skinned demons were riding onto tiger familiars, like beast-riders, as Serpico dealt with them, jumping amongst their ranks, destroying them row by row, with the cutting winds generated by his Sylph Sword, as the rest of the group clashed with the familiars rushing towards them.

Meanwhile, back with Guts, he came face-to-face with another one of the whale-elephant hybrid familiars, as it trumpeted loudly from its trunk, before it then tore through the nearby soldiers that tried to stop it, using a spout of water from its trunk to splatter some of the soldiers onto the nearby walls with the pressure created by the water jet.

"This sure is a problem..." Guts growled, before he then readied his blade, as he tapped into the Berserker Armour's feral power, just enough to even the odds, while keeping his mind serene. "You guys take the little ones. I'll handle the big one!"

"Alright, but don't let yourself get controlled." Judeau answered back, as he used his throwing knives to create a choke-point with the metal spikes he formed with them. "Schierke isn't here to snap you out of it right now."

Guts gently nodded in acknowledgement, as he dodged the large familiar's swinging trunk, as he took the chance to lop of a part of it, causing the familiar to bellow in pain, and flail uncontrollably. Guts then took this chance of vulnerability to throw one of his hand-explosives into the left eye of the demon, as it exploded, popping the eye messily, as it partially blinded the large creature. He then was forced to dodge to the side, as the familiar charged at him enraged.

In doing so, Guts tapped into the armour more, although this began to rouse the armour into activity, as the top of the helmet on his back began to rumble and glow, as Guts growled, trying to force the demon within the armour down. '_Not now...! I can't let myself get controlled here!_' Guts thought strongly, actively repressing the dark desires running through him.

He then looked around, as he tried to find a way to get on top of the familiar's head, as he believed that a blow through its head, specifically its brain, will stop it dead quickly, before the fight gets dragged out too long for him to keep control over the Berserker Armour. He then looked behind him, as there was a large building behind him, whose roof was high enough for him to leap from, onto the beast. He looked back at the beast, that was preparing to charge again at him.

Guts then rushed through the front door, as he then quickly ran up the stairs, as the familiar growled, before then charging forward, and slamming right into the front side of the building, shaking it strongly, and crumbling a part of it.

"Guts!" Casca exclaimed, as the familiars thrashed to break the building down.

"No, don't worry just yet... Guts ain't the kind of guy to be taken out this easily..." Judeau assured Casca, before he then noticed Guts on the roof, as he pointed up. "Look! He made it!"

Casca looked up, just in time to see Guts catch the large familiar unaware, as he plunged his blade tip-first through the familiar's head, as it wriggled in agony, trying to shake Guts off. However, this actually instead gave Guts the momentum needed to slice his blade deeper into the familiar's head, cutting through more of the thick blubbery skin. When he was sure that he had a opening large enough to shoot his hand-cannon through, he loaded it, before then jamming it right through the fresh head-wound, and then firing it, as it shot through the upper jaw of the familiar, with a large spray of blood, as bloody brain matter splattered onto its tongue from the gaping hole.

The familiar then fell still, killed by its brain being blown apart by the cannon shot, as Guts backflipped off the top of the beast, while the gathered allied forces were shocked at how Guts easily defeated the beast.

"...That should do it here. We ain't got the time for this. The ships are gonna burn at this rate." Guts told everyone. "We got to wrap this up quick."

"Right..." Gus stated. "We need to get there quickly. I'm sure that we can save many ships, if we are timely enough to do so. In fact, I believe that Richard might have already made it to the harbour."

As Gus had stated, Richard was indeed at the harbour, running a single-man assault, as he managed to cut through the demonic soldiers and familiars lying around, as some of them were trying to use fire tactics to burn the ships stationed there. He then pointed his hand at a large group of familiars, as he quickly traced a magic circle in the air, then turning green, and firing off a barrage of green crescent projectiles that pelted the area ahead of him, as they cut through the familiars and demons easily, as well as extinguishing whatever flames were in their paths.

"It seems that the harbour is safe for now..." Richard answered back, before he then noticed that the fog in the area was beginning to gather, as his Brand began to sting. "Well now, looks like the emperor is about to make his debut..."

A figure was then formed by the swirling and rising fog, as it took place right in the midst of the port waters, as it then created the entire figure of the face that the entire group and all the nobles saw back in the ballroom, as it was completely, with a mist-like body, without limbs, its body only a large body of barely condensed fog, which crackled and glowed with short burst of lightning within it. The blue eyes of the large imposing demon slowly opened.

"I am the Emperor of the Great Kushan Empire! Supreme ruler and devastator of the world!" The large being bellowed, before its eyes then laid towards Richard, who stood by the edge of the docks. "First, I must say I'm impressed. I never thought a mere group of kshatriyas could strike down this many of my pishaca gana, and not show any signs of tiredness or exhaustion. Huhuh... War is not a thing to take lightly. And then there is you, especially you, Durga Kshatriya, and that other one, the viravadana kshatriya. You both bear the scent of some connection to us of the Spirit world. Are you followers of my Arch-enemy, the Hawk?"

"...Well, I can't deny you that answer, _Your **Grand **__Highness_." Richard responded back with a mocking tone on his last few words. "How strange that you think of me as a male warrior of Durga, and Guts as a beast-faced warrior. Quite fitting if I say so myself, but I rather I get to answering your question, and that is, we FORMERLY were. We part ways on our own terms, and we want nothing to do with him. I may not be entirely human, but Guts, my friend? His strength far exceeds what a pure-bred human could achieve, because he's someone who surpassed his own humanity to gain the power to strike down all of your pishaca and daka."

"So, that's it. Interesting." Ganishka answered back, before his mouth cracked open, revealing the hundreds of shark-like teeth inside of it, as it twisted into a cruel grin. "So then, you're both Branded. Now that is a thing of wonder, to think, a sacrifice continues to live defiantly. I have a proposal for you. Wouldst you become a follower of mine?"

"...I'm sorry?" Richard asked back, his tone turning blank instantly.

"Nearly every apostle in this world has now gathered beneath the Hawk's flag." Ganishka continued. "Naturally, included amongst them must be the one who carved the brand into both of you. The one who gave you inescapable terror and despair, as well as hatred born of living in spiritual darkness. I find you agreeable. The malevolence and madness flowing through your friend, and the potent dark power flowing through your veins. I am the Supreme ruler of the crucible of chaos. Those who would lay hands on my beloved corruption, though they be as gods, they defile, violate and ravage it. Take thy blood, imbued with hatred, pour it into my military rule and sink the Hawk and the insects that swarm to his light into a murky sea of blood. Your hearts goes on beating for that purpose and that alone."

Richard was silent for a moment, before he then cracked a smile.

"Now, this is interesting. To find someone like you, who would defy the ones that granted you this unholy power." Richard remarked, tilting his head slightly. "A traitor to the rule of the God Hand. I guess that there are some that want the rule of the world for themselves. Not a single other apostle in your ranks, and yet you are so proud to do this. Why... It actually makes my decision easier. Because I... **Reject it.**"

Ganishka was shocked, to hear that Richard's expression twisted into one of cold disdain when he spoke those words, as he could see that Richard wasn't amused.

"Unfortunately for you, I have little care about your petty little war against the Hawk." Richard continued, his tone icy. "You mistake that I actually care about murdering Griffith so much. However, that's most definitely false. Guts's the only one carrying the grudge. Myself? I could care less, so long as I ensure I repay my friend for his years of companionship. Truth is, Emperor Ganishka, even if I were to accept, you wouldn't have me for long. I've served my role in all of this, and I have repaid him for everything he had done for me. However, there is one last obstacle to all of this. YOU."

"Y-You dare...!? Do you not know who I am, you puny rat!?" Ganishka snarled.

"Oh please, you think that I would kneel to you? You act as if this power you have been granted, has made you strong enough to defy the God Hand." Richard replied back, spitting the words out with a condescending tone. "I'll tell you this, as both your senior in terms of overall strength and potential, as well as in terms of years of experiencing this unholy power. You believe that you would be able to succeed in rebelling against the God Hand with how little power you have? That kind of action can only be described as utter foolishness, as a act of self-destructive insanity. You think that they are foolish enough to give you the potential to reach their level of power? You're quite wrong on that. You were, and always, will be a pawn. Struggle all you like, but your desire to defy them, is merely a point in their grand plan, to bring about their desired outcome. But's that what I care about."

Richard then raised his blade. "You're in the way, 'Emperor'. In the way of my friend's path. As a final act of gratitude, I will make sure that my last battle by his side is done right. I will slaughter your pathetic army. I will shatter your beasts under my heel. And I will crush that body of yours you pride yourself in." He spoke back, as his eyes burned with pure animosity. "I have done so much to ensure that they would make it to today. And with how you are... I doubt that you would let them go. So in order for them to reach their promised land... Please die for me, Emperor Ganishka. Or resist me if you like, and face the power that have slain thousands upon thousands of gods. To me, you're the insignificant speck."

"ARROGANCE! SO BE IT! THEN YOU SHALL COMPENSATE ME FOR THE LIVES OF MY BEASTS WITH ALL OF YOUR LIVES!" Ganishka bellowed in fury, as his entire body began to glow from the lightning surging within it, as he then fired a series of lightning bolts towards Richard.

However, Richard swiped a hand out, as his arcane barrier wrapped around him, the lightning bolts clashing against the azure glow around him, dissipating harmlessly. Ganishka was horrified to see that his lightning bolts did very little to Richard.

"You know, with how you are, beating you is easy. All I have to do, is create a massive vortex of ice to freeze your form, and then shatter it." Richard remarked casually, not threatened by the attack. "You pride yourself being unable to be destroyed, while your body is merely mist, but a true master of magic, would easily turn that body of yours against you. If I killed you here... your real body... will rot in death as well. However, I have little interest in striking down you as you are now. It's not my role to deal the blow, but my friend."

Richard then disappeared through a sukima under his feet, as Ganishka roared with anger, as he blindly threw lightning bolts around the entire port, unable to control his shaking fury at Richard's taunting.

"What the, something's throwing lightning around!?" Isidro remarked.

"Something tells me that the real enemy has come." Gus stated.

"We have to get to the boat... If we can escape the port... Then we can get out of this mess, before it gets serious..." Casca pondered.

"I'll contact Schierke." Gus answered back, before he then used the telepathic connection to contact Schierke. '_Schierke, we're heading for the harbour to collect our ship. With the letter at hand, we can use it to obtain a ship and leave the port._'

'_But what about the enemies in the bay_.' Schierke responded back to Guts, as her group were in another area, taking out the demonic soldiers and familiars around them, before Richard appeared beside her, surprising her. "Richard...!?"

"We need a way to get out of here. But we aren't going to make it, without beating back Ganishka's large form." Richard stated, before he then looked around, as the entire group was nearby. "Good. Everyone's accounted for. Schierke, tell the others to head for the boat. Except for you and Elma."

"What...? Why?" Schierke asked back.

"I have a plan to take out Ganishka, but I will need the two of you to help me carry it out." Richard stated. "And we'll need a few people to protect us. Serpico, Farnese... You've done enough. Take the others, and head for the harbour. I'm sure that the other group are already planning to get the ship to leave. We've cleared the Kushan units in the port, but we can't stay here, lest even more come."

"You can count on me to get Lady Farnese to safety." Serpico answered back, before he then turned to the others. "Will you..."

"I'm staying." Reimu answered back. "The three of them will need someone to protect them."

"I shall remain as well, the rest of you can make your way across to the harbour." Corrin added.

"Right... take care, Lady Corrin." Gunter nodded, before the group split up again, with one of them heading towards the port as well, dodging the lightning raining overhead.

"Schierke, tell them that we'll be staying behind for a while, and that I'll transport you all to the harbour in time." Richard told the apprentice.

"I understand!" Schierke answered back, before she then conveyed the message, which was received by Guts with a simple 'OK.'. "They've been notified."

"Good." Richard stated, before he then sheathed both of his blades, and made the tip of his right index finger glow with a icy blue colour. "I'll need time to get the thing set up. I'm counting on you both, Reimu and Corrin."

"Leave it to us." Reimu nodded, before they proceeded to guard the paths around Richard, Schierke and Elma.

As Richard slowly traced the magic circle, the group then heard the sound of wings flapping above them, as they saw flying apostles soaring over their heads, as they headed towards where Ganishka was.

"Apostles...!?" Schierke exclaimed.

"Don't worry about them right now. Ganishka is not affiliated with them, but that means that we're amidst a three-way battle, with the Band of the Reborn Falcon rushing into battle." Richard answered back. "This don't change anything. Prevent anyone from interfering, both of you."

Both of the harbour-bound groups managed to reach their destination, just in time to see the flying apostles rushing towards the fog-bound form of Ganishka, as the large Kushan apostle king glared at them.

"How cunning are you weaklings who crowd around the fire." Ganishka taunted the flying apostles. "You are haughty, so fall within my scorching fire!"

Ganishka then let loose a torrent of lightning that honed on the flying apostles, frying them to a crisp, as the others were shocked beyond the point of lethality, as their smoking bodies landed on the ground with hollow thuds, around the gathered group.

"It seems that we're not safe here..." Serpico remarked. "With that emperor in the way, if we tried to run as we were, he'll sink the boat with a proper thunder-bolt through the ship itself."

"Then I guess that it's going to be up to me to face this bastard on a high horse." Guts answered back. "This is going to be just like Mozgus, isn't it. Might as well not let Richard do all the work here. I'm going to take this 'emperor' on myself."

Before he could advance any further, the group heard a familiar roar, as Zodd was standing atop one of the towers above, as his eyes locked with Ganishka's.

"That's... That's the one that appeared in Albion...! And also at the Spirit Tree Forest!" Farnese exclaimed.

"That's... Zodd..." Casca answered back.

"Zodd... What the hell is he doing here!?" Guts growled.

Zodd then let out a war-cry, as he rushed at Ganishka, as he was struck by a blast of lightning, causing him to roar in pain, although he powered through the strike, and continued his charge through Ganishka, as he drew back a claw to smash through Ganishka's body, before slashing down. However, he simply charged through the misty apostle, as the hole that he charged through, was slowly being covered up by more fog. Ganishka then snarled, before launching another stream of lightning towards Zodd, as the bovine apostle was struck down, as he crashed down towards Guts, as he plowed through the ground, as Gts was smacked along with him.

"Guts!" Gus shouted, as the long crater in front of them was silent for a moment, before Guts and Zodd came out the crater, as Guts was right on Zodd's back, clinging desperately at Zodd's neck, with his blade in his hand, as Zodd looked up to notice the black-armoured swordsman on his back.

"You! I never thought I would run into you here!" Zodd growled

"Zodd! You bastard!" Guts snarled back, before he then swung his blade to press against Zodd's neck. "If you don't want to lose your head, fly the way I tell you! My fight with you can wait. We're taking him down."

"What? Are you even awake? I told you! Nothing can cut mist." Zodd responded back.

"You want a mist cutter?" Guts asked back, before he tapped the blade against Zodd's neck. "Here it is."

Zodd was silent, before he then grinned. "Fine then,we'll do this your way." Zodd growled, before he then beat his wings strongly to pick up speed. "Show me that you can hack that thunder-cloud to pieces!"

Guts and Zodd then flew through Ganishka, as they weathered a blast of lightning, as they went through Ganishka, as Guts thrust his blade through, although it had no effect on Ganishka. On the other side, Schierke noticed that Guts was engaging with the emperor, using her od sensing, as she turned to Richard.

"We have to hurry! Guts is fighting against Ganishka! He can't fight against a monster that has a non-physical body!" Schierke hastily shouted to Richard.

"It's done!" Richard shouted back, as around them were a large magic circle around them, which was in a icy-blue colour, although it was only faintly glowing, before he then leapt back into the centre, where Schierke and Elma were. He checked on Reimu and Corrin, who have cut down many familiars, soldiers and apostles that got in their way, as he was certain that they were safe for the time being. "Alright, now then, everything's ready. Just one last thing. Elma, Schierke, put a hand on my shoulder."

"Wait, what do you intend to do!?" Schierke demanded.

"I'm going to freeze that Kushan emperor right where he stands." Richard responded back. "In order to do an ice spell strong enough to freeze the fog that is his body, into pure ice, we'll need truly powerful ice magic. And in order to do that, it will require a massive incantation, or a catalyst, which is what my magic circle is. But I need you to help my magic output by feeding me magic for me to fuel the spell in turn. The faster we can do this, the sooner this will all end!"

"...I trust you, Richard." Elma nodded, before she then placed a hand on Richard's left shoulder.

"...Am I still able to use my own kind of magic while I'm channelling a part of my power into you?" Schierke asked back.

"Yes, enough to sustain your various utility spells." Richard responded back. "Tell Guts to hang on, and tell him if you can find a weak point. With the ice making his body physically vulnerable, and striking that weak spot... It'll certainly be more than enough to strike down the emperor."

"...It should work." Schierke stated, before she then placed her hand on Richard's other shoulder, before she then activated her telepathic communication with Guts. '_Guts, if you can hear me, Richard, Elma and I are preparing a spell to freeze the apostle. Just keep on holding out until then, and you'll be able to defeat them. I'll also try to find a weak point for you to attack._'

'_Right, got it... Although that'll have to depend how Zodd feels._' Guts answered back, before he then cut the connection. "You ready to do this, Zodd?"

"Hah!" Zodd barked in laughter. "You will have to do more to deter me from defeating this creature, even if it can't be struck!"

"I am the one who takes. Never the one taken from! I am the indestructible demon king! Burn now and regret this!" Ganishka boomed, as he then fired a surge of lightning at Guts and Zodd, as Guts used the blade to dissipate some of the lightning, as it spread out through the large and wide surface of the weapon.

"Alright, let's get started! Channel all you got, now!" Richard shouted, before Elma and Schierke did so, as Richard's body began to glow with blue energy emanating around his body, and he slowly let the energy flow into the magic circle below him.

Guts and Zodd was trying to cut through Ganishka, as they swung blade and claw, although their attacks did little but dissipate the fog, which slowly reformed itself, as Ganishka laughed cruelly at the futile efforts.

"Heed my words, pygmies. You are just insects writhing in the palm of my hand!" Ganishka cackled. "Your puny goal will not be achieved. Obey me and surrender now!"

"Gonna take a lot more than that to make me kneel before you, overgrown cloud!" Guts growled back. "You think that you're going to be rid of my that easily!?"

Guts then slashed rapidly, as Zodd flew around Ganishka's body, as it managed to blow apart a great deal of Ganishka's body, yet it still did no harm to the apostle emperor.

"I won't relinquish it! Even if it's blood-smeared and defiled, this world belongs to me!" Ganishka roared, before he then charged more lightning bolts, and shot them towards Zodd, who Guts was riding on. "FALL!"

Zodd weathered through the lightning strikes, although he was beginning to lose his strength to fight. Meanwhile, on the other side of the port, Richard's magic circle was completely charged, as it was glowing brightly.

"It's done!" Richard shouted, before Schierke and Elma placed their hands off, as they were a little exhausted spending this much of their magical energy for him. He then slammed his palm on the magic circle itself, as it let up even more, before it then created a massive ring of blue energy above Ganishka. "Take this!"

"Hmm...!?" Ganishka grumbled, as he looked up, before the halo of blue energy lit up, as it fired off a large breeze of icy wind onto Ganishka, as hail rained upon the fog apostle, as some of them exploded into freezing mist, as Ganishka felt his body numb and solidify. "Kuh... What is this sorcery...!? My body... It is... turning to ice!?"

"That, would by my doing, oh Great Ganishka." Richard mocked back, as he appeared through a sukima, with the remaining members of the group alongside him, as Ganishka looked down at Richard, who looked quite smug. "Like I told you, I know how that body of yours can be used against you. You are mist, which means that you can only be dissipated. However, with ice magic, of a grand scale, your body will be frozen into ice, and you will be left unable to move or act. Your own form is your undoing."

"Damn you, Durga kshatriya... Damn you to Naraka-" Ganishka cursed, before his own words were cut off, as his body quickly froze up into solid ice.

"Now's your chance! He's not going to be able to walk away from this attack! Carve that bastard up like a ice sculpture!" Richard shouted back.

"Aim for the space between the brow of his eyes!" Schierke shouted back. "It's where his connection to this body lies! It'll destroy the form completely."

"Well now, looks like you're not so tough anymore." Guts smirked, before he then raised his blade.

He then hacked right into Ganishka's body, as he sliced through the body multiple times, thanks to Zodd's flying, as pieces and pieces of the frozen apostle slammed into the sea, dissolving back into water, before Guts then aimed right at Ganishka's head, and thrust his blade between the weak-point indicated by Schierke, as it caused the entire head to crack, before turning into a icy powder from the resulting magical backlash from the lethal strike.

Zodd and Guts then crashed onto the ground in front of the group, as Zodd was kneeling, his body smoking from several lightning strikes, as Guts was the same, as he was thrown off, and bounced a few times off the ground.

"What's the matter..? Weren't we going to settle things? Come on, stand up!" Zodd growled at the prone Guts. "If you can't, then there won't be any fight to the death! I'll just tear you apart and devour you!"

Guts slowly rose up, as he grit past his pain, before glaring up at Zodd, who stood back up as well.

"We'll see to our duel another time, Black Swordsman." Zodd growled, before he then spread his wings out again. "A time when we can bloody each other to our hearts' content. Men, we're all done here!"

"Just a god... damn minute..." Guts growled weakly. "If you're all here, then is he...? Does that mean Griffith's nearby too...!?"

"What'll you do, once you hear the answer? If he is, will you fight with our master as he rides in here?" Zodd responded back. "Then that changes things. Even if you were crippled, our entire army would just mince you into a hundred pieces of meat."

"Now, now. We're done here as well, Zodd." Richard answered back. "And don't forget, most of us aren't as tired and hurt as Guts is. So if you pick a fight against us now, then we return the same sentiments back to you. Besides, Guts, you could care less for a feud between monsters, right?"

"Yeah. So that's that. Go on, get lost." Guts told Zodd.

Zodd wordlessly turned away, as he then flew out of the port, with the rest of the flying apostles following after him.

"And don't come back!" Isidro shouted defiantly at the fleeing apostles.

Guts then smiled, before he then began to fall forward, before he was caught by Meiling.

"I've got you, Guts. You done enough for now." Meiling assured Guts.

"...Thanks." Guts briefly thanked Meiling.

"Look, over there!" Judeau exclaimed, pointing at a empty ship nearby. "We could use that to leave the port."

"...Finally, all of this has ended..." Farnese exclaimed, before she then placed a hand to her chest. "I'm truly glad that everything gone well."

Richard then looked back at his friends, before he then turned back to the rest of the group.

"I guess that this is where we part ways then...?" Richard smiled back. "I hope that from here on, you guys will be able to make it the rest of the way through without us watching over you all."

"What... are you talking about, Richard...?" Casca asked back. "You're... You're all leaving."

"...Richard, are we...?" Gus asked back. "We..."

"We have other places to be." Richard stated, before he then bowed his head slightly. "...I'm sorry that I never had the heart to tell you all at once before this, but this is where our journey with you ends."

"...What?" Guts asked back.

"...You're not kidding us, are you? This is really goodbye?" Judeau asked as well.

"...Yeah. I didn't want to leave you guys, until I have done everything for you guys until you'll be able to make it safely to sea." Richard answered back, as he then gave a hopeful smile. "Because by then... You guys will be strong enough to stand up for yourselves, and fight against the rest of this cruel world without us."

Elma silently looked at the others, before she then brought out Puck, who was hiding in her cloak, as he was shocked at what he was hearing.

"...You're leaving, Elma...?" Puck asked back, as he was emotionally hurt, trying to fight back tears. "You're really... going to leave me?"

"...Richard, can't we take-" Elma pleaded.

"Unfortunately... Puck doesn't belong to you truly. I'm sorry for being so cruel, after the two of you spent a lot of time together. I'm sure that you, Puck, would have fitted better with Elma, but you are still needed." Richard answered back solemnly. "You need to be there to help Guts and the others, as Elma won't be there to help heal all those accumulated wounds. Your pixie dust, which I have seen in action so many times, would save their lives time and time again. You cannot leave them."

"...Elma..." Puck muttered back sadly.

"...Go, Puck... I can't just take you selfishly from the others." Elma responded back, with a sad smile. "You're going to do well without me, I know it. You were a really good friend, and you have done so much to help me... I hope that you'll be able tot help the others and stay alongside them, while I'm gone."

"Elma... I'll miss you. I really... really will..." Puck muttered back, as he slowly flew towards where Guts's group were.

"So, that's it then... You're just going to go, just like that?" Guts answered back, as he didn't seemed to be as betrayed as the others expected, his expression slightly longing, but not truly sad. "...I guess that when I fought alongside you, I knew that you weren't going to stay with us forever."

"...Sorry, Guts. That's just how things go. You were a great pal, Guts. We laughed together, we fought together, we defied the darkness together... And we learned to understand each other..." Richard smiled weakly back, before his eyes leaked tears, which he noticed. "Oh geez, look at me... I'm crying on the fact that I'm leaving all of you... Casca... Judeau... Guts... All of us have been together for so long, and yet we can only leave in such a grim manner... How selfish I am..."

"...Richard..." Casca muttered, before Richard wiped his tears off. "...Thank you. Thank you for everything you have done. I imagined that time, when I would have been raped by Griffith... I imagined that it would shatter me to be used by him like that... I would be unable to have found the will-power to keep on fighting."

"Don't forget me." Judeau smiled back. "If it ain't for your pal, I would have died back then. Thanks to you, we're able to stick together. Although you couldn't save everyone, being one of the lucky ones makes me feel grateful. You say that we can't take care of ourselves. With Guts, myself, Casca, and everyone else working together... We're going to be fine for the rest of the way, so don't worry about us."

"...You both..." Richard answered back, touched by their words.

"...Well, how could I just say no to a old friend of mine. Just promise me one thing, Richard." Guts sighed, before he then smiled back. "Make sure that you don't lose yourself like I did. You were there for me when things got tough, and I kind of appreciate that. I guess that you're also one of the unreplaceable things that I am constantly reminded about. Sad to see you go, but I guess that you got your own stuff to do. Like when I left Griffith. Surely you might come back one day, or we might meet each other again."

"...I promise that we will." Richard smiled back. "After all, in this world, you're the one that is most alike me around here. You better not die, because you're also my close pal."

"...Heh, just try me." Guts chuckled back, before he then saw Richard throw something. He then caught it, as it was a silver amulet styled in the shape of the former Band of the Hawks symbol. "What is this...?"

"A symbol of our journey together. I decided to ask Godo to make this one day, for the time when you would leave me." Richard answered back. "Guess this is the least I can do for you."

"Well, I guess that it's farewell then." Reimu smiled back. "Just make sure that you guys don't get yourselves killed, fighting all of those monsters."

"...We'll miss you truly, all of you." Gus stated.

"Guts... Casca... Judeau... Schierke... Isidro... Farnese... Puck..." Elma stated, before she then smiled warmly. "I hope that you'll all be able to see a bright future, if you keep on fighting on."

"Don't stop fighting on... This world needs people like you to make sure that there is someone to resist the deep darkness around this land, and strive to return peace and light to these ravaged lands." Corrin added.

"Heh, thanks for the pep-talk, all of you." Guts smiled back.

Meiling then lowered Guts on the ground, as Elma used her magic to heal Guts up, allowing him to get back up on his feet.

"Well then... Farewell to all of you." Richard answered back, before he then opened a sukima behind him. "One day... you'll see that even in this dark world... Hope shines eternal."

Richard's group then left through the sukima, as the sukima then closed behind then. And then suddenly, the skies above them turned clears, as the dark clouds began to part away, which surprised everyone.

"It's morning already...!?" Isidro exclaimed "How long has we been fighting for!?"

"I guess that the adrenaline made us lose track of the time." Judeau proposed. "Well then, I guess that this is one of the few days that we have seen the skies this clear, after the Eclipse happened. Wonder if it's a sign from the gods...?"

"Or perhaps... just perhaps... Richard cleared the skies for us, as a final gift to us. To remind us that there is still hope and light here, like he said." Casca stated, as she looked up to the skies with a smile.

"Come on, let's board the boat already!" Isidro exclaimed. "Don't want to get caught while trying to get our boat, don't we?"

"That would be recommended at this moment." Serpico answered. "Come with me everyone."

The group then boarded the boat, as they began to sail out to the sea, as Guts looked at the group below him, as Judeau and Casca were looked out towards the vast ocean, while Isidro was cheering about getting to sea, as Farnese and Schierke were chatting amongst each other, with Serpico watching from behind him.

"This is nice..." Guts looked up to the bright skies. "...I won't lose them again... Neither Casca, nor Judeau, or anyone else that I hold close to me... You watching, Richard...? We're going to come back, when we've turned this world back to what it was."

* * *

_Back at the GFS Ryujin..._

Richard slowly stepped onto the bridge, as everyone entered through it. The entire group looked around, as if they were worried about something, before Richard chuckled lightly.

"How ironic... We were meant to have a hellish experience there..." Richard chuckled. "But in the end, we managed to turn this towards a hopeful resolution for this crisis. And we managed to see the better parts of the world, despite everything."

"Do... Do you think Guts and the others can make it without us?" Gus asked back.

"You underestimate them, have some more faith in them. After all, we've been with them for all those years... What do you think...?" Richard questioned in turn.

"...True." Gus stated, as he smiled faintly.

Soon, the X-Stone appeared in Richard's hand, as it was purple, with a slight glow to it, and the symbol of a white spiralling void onto it.

"_**You who have defied the darkness that swallow the very land, and have defeated countless demons on your quest to seek light for those with you... You have proven worthy of acquiring the final stone. Now, only the final trial awaits you and your companions. Gather them all, as you will not be the only one tested. You will all be judged, to see if you are worthy of the answers to your dilemma. Not only that, I shall grant you boons, which you will acquire. Until then, come to where the stones point, if you believe you are ready to attempt your ultimate quest.**_" The stone's voice stated.

"...It's all gathered." Richard smiled back, before he then turned to the elevator down the bridge. "...I wonder what this final trial will be."

The group then slowly descended down to the lab where the other X-Stones were stored, as the other six were floating from a artificial gravity field in their container. Richard then slotted the final X-Stone, his newest acquisition, as it joined the other stones. As soon as the stone was positioned, the stones then immediately shifted themselves into a hexagonal formation, with the dark-coloured stone being placed in the centre of the formation.

The other stones then began to spin around the stone, quicker and quicker, until they turned into a massive blur of colour, as it set off the energy reading alarms in the lab, causing all available tech personnel to quickly work on restraining and controlling the energy output of the storage container.

And then, with a loud sound of a massive shockwave, the ring of colour merged with the stone, creating a massive flash of bright light, as everyone shield their eyes, while they also protected themselves from what may come from the massive surge of energy.

When the light had died down, the container of the stones was destroyed, and floating amidst the ruins of the machine, was another stone, this one prismatic, as there was a shining symbol of a rainbow cross-symbol on both sides of it. Richard walked over to it slowly, before he then grabbed it, feeling the fluctuations of power emanating from the stone.

"Huh... So this is the result." Richard remarked, before his comm then buzzed on. "...I received your call... What is it?"

"...Sir... We found something. Just now, there was a new signal downloaded on our database." The bridge officer on the other side of the call answered back.

"What is the details of the signal?" Richard asked back sternly.

"...They're a set of coordinates, sir..." The officer answered back, as Richard's eyes widened.

"...Set of coordinates... Save those coordinates, officer. They're very important." Richard muttered, before he then cut the call off.

"...Richard..." Gus asked, before Richard then turned around.

"...The path ahead is clear, Gus." Richard answered back. "Rest yourselves up, one of our most important missions lies ahead of us. It's the final trial from the wielder of the stones."

* * *

**Unmei Force: Vengeance**

**E N D**


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